Local Development Framework Core Strategy Generic Development Control Policies
September 2007
Key Issues and Alternative Options Preferred Options Submission
This document has been prepared for consultation under Regulation 26 of the Town and Country Planning (Local Development) (England) Regulations 2004 Stevenage LDF Core Strategy and Generic DC Policies
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Tell us what you think
This document has been prepared for consultation and is available for public comment from Monday 24th September 2007 for six weeks.
Any comments you wish to make can be sent to the Planning Policy team at Stevenage Borough Council by 5pm on Friday 2nd November 2007.
Comments can be sent, faxed, emailed or delivered to:
On line www.stevenage.gov.uk
By mail Planning Policy Stevenage Borough Council Daneshill House Danestrete Stevenage SG1 1HN
By fax 01438 242922
By textphone 01438 242444
By email [email protected]
All responses will be considered and used to prepare a Submission document in June 2008 which you will have another chance to comment on.
If you have any questions about this document please contact the Planning Policy team on telephone 01438 242823.
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Contents
Tell us what you think ...... 3
Contents ...... 4
Executive summary ...... 8 Core Strategy...... 8 Generic Development Control Policies ...... 9
Introduction ...... 10 What is the Core Strategy?...... 10 What are generic development control policies? ...... 10 What is the key diagram? ...... 10 What is a Preferred Options consultation document and how have you made your choices? ... 11 What is spatial planning and how does the new planning system work?...... 12 What is the East of England Plan and why is it important?...... 13 What role does the Sustainable Community Strategy play?...... 14 What is Strategic Environmental Assessment and Sustainability Appraisal? ...... 14 How does the Core Strategy fit in the wider plans for Stevenage?...... 14 What is soundness?...... 17 How will you involve the community?...... 17 How have you decided which matters to consult upon? ...... 18 Do I need to be a planning expert to respond?...... 18 What do I need to comment upon and how should I respond?...... 19 What will you do with any written comments I send you?...... 20
Background information ...... 22 History...... 22 Geography of Stevenage ...... 24 Opposition to growth ...... 25 Key statistics ...... 26
Main problems...... 27
Drivers of change...... 29
Section 1: Core Strategy Policies...... 31
Spatial vision...... 32 Relevant plans and strategies...... 33 North Hertfordshire sustainable community strategy ...... 33 East Hertfordshire sustainable community strategy...... 34 Stevenage sustainable community strategy...... 35
Strategic objectives ...... 37
Sustainable community...... 41 Sustainability and quality of life...... 41 Commuting and self-containment ...... 45 Jobs ...... 47 Balance of people ...... 50
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Prosperity through regeneration and growth ...... 53 What causes deprivation?...... 54 Regeneration and growth...... 56 Raising aspirations and skills...... 57 Future challenges ...... 58 Image ...... 59
Housing...... 62 Strategic housing trajectory...... 63 Stevenage West...... 65 Social and affordable homes...... 66 Other house types...... 67 Brownfield land ...... 72 Gypsies and Travellers ...... 73 Travelling showpeople ...... 75
Employment areas ...... 77 Existing employment areas...... 78 New employment sites...... 82
Town centre and shopping ...... 85 Retail hierarchy ...... 86 Stevenage town centre ...... 86 Old Town High Street...... 89 Existing neighbourhood centres...... 90 New neighbourhood centres ...... 92 Retail parks, supermarkets and freestanding shops...... 93
The natural environment ...... 96 Open spaces...... 98 Green Links...... 101 Forster Country Park...... 103 Green Belt...... 104
The built environment ...... 106 Old Town...... 109
Social facilities ...... 111 Education ...... 111 Health care...... 115 Community and leisure facilities...... 118
Transport and utilities ...... 123 Buses, trains, walking and cycling ...... 123 Parking...... 126 Road and rail transport ...... 128 Luton airport...... 131 Utilities ...... 132 Sewerage...... 133 Flood prevention ...... 134
Implementation ...... 137 Local delivery vehicle...... 137 Simplified planning zones ...... 138
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Planning obligations...... 140
Section 2: Generic Development Control Policies ...... 143
Sustainable community...... 144 Sustainability and quality of life objectives...... 144 Energy efficiency and renewable energy ...... 144 Sustainable construction principles...... 148 Waste management...... 151 Water consumption ...... 152 Sustainable urban drainage systems...... 153 Pollution and contamination...... 153 Living and working in Stevenage ...... 154
Prosperity through regeneration and growth ...... 156 Prosperity through regeneration and growth objectives...... 156
Housing...... 157 Affordable housing thresholds ...... 157 House sizes ...... 159 Housing density ...... 161 Windfall sites...... 164 Gypsy and Traveller sites...... 164 Travelling showpeople sites...... 165
Employment areas ...... 166 Uses in employment areas ...... 166 Employment uses outside employment areas ...... 166
Town centre and shopping ...... 168 Retail parks, supermarkets and freestanding shops...... 168
Natural environment ...... 169 Natural environment objectives...... 169 Open space standards...... 169 Green Belt...... 170 Green Links...... 171 Biodiversity and geology ...... 171
Built environment ...... 176 Built environment objectives ...... 176 Listed buildings and locally listed buildings...... 176 Conservation areas...... 178 Ancient lanes and associated hedgerows...... 178 Design out crime ...... 179 Areas of Archaeological Significance...... 181
Social facilities ...... 182 Community and leisure facilities...... 182
Transport and utilities ...... 183 Green travel plans...... 183 Home zones...... 184 Car parks ...... 185
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Flood risk assessment ...... 186 Telecommunications ...... 187
Main problems in the future...... 188
Monitoring ...... 189
Appendix 1: Glossary ...... 191 Appendix 2: Evidence studies ...... 201 Appendix 3: Evidence study order form...... 203
Key diagram ...... 205
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Executive summary
Core Strategy
1.1 The Core Strategy sets out the vision for the future of Stevenage as an emerging regional centre that is prosperous, health, clean, green and safe. It will be a place where people want to live, work, visit and do business. Our preferred options are to:
Achieve local, national and global sustainability objectives and improve quality of life
Re-assert the New Town concept of a balanced and more self-contained community
Share the benefits of prosperity through regeneration and growth
Distribute 18,000 jobs between Stevenage, North Hertfordshire and East Hertfordshire
Build at least 4,200 new homes in the existing urban area and 2,200 in new neighbourhoods plus up to 9,600 in new neighbourhoods in North Hertfordshire
Build 40% affordable homes, 50% market homes and 10% more expensive homes
Achieve a minimum brownfield target of 40%
Retain Gunnels Wood as our main employment area and build new employment areas
Retain the broad network of shopping provision
Regenerate the town centre and neighbourhood centres
Protect and enhance the natural environment and open spaces
Create Forster Country Park
Undertaken a strategic and local Green Belt review
Create an attractive, enjoyable and distinctive built environment
Develop the Old Town as a vibrant centre that retains its historic character
Transform education and health care provision
Upgrade and provide new community and leisure facilities
Improve road and rail transport and make it easier to walk, cycle and catch the bus
Upgrade and provide utilities at the same time as new homes and jobs
Establish a local delivery vehicle
Seek planning obligations to support new homes and jobs
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Generic Development Control Policies
1.2 Generic development control policies define the circumstances under which planning permission will or will not be granted. Our preferred options are to:
Support proposals for energy efficiency and renewable energy
Support proposals for low and zero carbon homes
Establish a multiple threshold approach for affordable homes
Require developers to provide a range of house sizes
Support a minimum density of 30 dwellings per hectare and higher in accessible places
Support windfall and brownfield housing proposals
Support proposals for small scale activities in employment areas
Support proposals for small scale employment activities outside employment areas
Require developers to provide open space in line with our open space standards
Establish a criteria based policy for proposals that affect Green Links
Require developers to protect and incorporate biodiversity into their proposals
Establish a criteria based policy for proposals that affect ancient lanes
Require developers to design out crime
Support proposals to upgrade and build new community and leisure facilities
Support proposals that make better use of surface level car parks
1.3 In most other cases – such as sustainable construction, waste management, pollution, retail parks and supermarkets, the Green Belt, listed buildings and conservation areas – we intend to rely on national and regional guidance.
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Introduction
What is the Core Strategy?
2.1 The Core Strategy sets out the vision for the future of Stevenage. It gives spatial expression to the objectives of the sustainable community strategy and implements the policies of the emerging East of England Plan. The Core Strategy provides the policy framework for the whole of the local development framework (LDF) for Stevenage and all subsequent plans that we produce must be in conformity with it. Core Strategy policies must be delivered through a variety of means not just planning permission.
Core strategy policies appear in a green box and are labelled [CS]
What are generic development control policies?
2.2 Generic development control policies are town-wide and non site-specific policies that the council will use to determine planning applications. They deliver the spatial vision and strategic objectives set out in the Core Strategy by defining the circumstances under which planning permission will or will not be granted for certain forms of development.
2.3 Development control policies that relate to particular sites will be set out in the forthcoming Site Specific Policies document or the relevant Area Action Plan.
Generic development control policies appear in a blue box and are labelled [DC]
What is the key diagram?
2.4 The key diagram identifies the issues and areas of land referred to in our spatial vision, strategic objectives and preferred options set out in the Core Strategy. A preferred options version of the key diagram is included at the back of this document.
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What is a Preferred Options consultation document and how have you made your choices?
2.5 The Preferred Options consultation document sets out our preferred policies that will help to deliver our vision for the future of Stevenage. It is the second in a series of detailed consultations that we will carry out on each of our planning documents.
2.6 Our preferred options are based on the objectives of the sustainable community strategy for Stevenage, the policies of the emerging East of England Plan, the results of our evidential studies, the findings of our strategic environmental assessment and the comments we received to the Key Issues and Alternative Options consultation stage.
2.7 Government guidance1 states that this document should explain how and why we have chosen each option, why we have rejected alternative options and what implications our preferred option will have. This is called “reasoned justification”. It will help to encourage community involvement and ensure we are aware of all possible options before preparing our Submission document.
2.8 In identifying our preferred options we have assumed that:
All necessary facilities such as roads, water supply, sewerage, drainage, electricity, gas and telecommunications will be delivered to support the level of development set out in the emerging East of England Plan
All significant environmental assets in Stevenage such as wildlife sites, ancient lanes, floodplains and areas of archaeological interest will be protected
All planning policies and legislation established by the European Union, the Government and the emerging East of England Plan will be met
2.9 Throughout the document we refer to Government guidance, reports or studies that have informed our judgement. These are marked with a footnote. All our evidence studies are available on our website (www.stevenage.gov.uk) and can be viewed or purchased at our Danestrete office. The reports and studies that have informed our judgement are listed in Appendix 2 and an order form for evidence studies we have undertaken is in Appendix 3.
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What is spatial planning and how does the new planning system work?
2.10 Traditional land use planning regulated and controlled the use of land. Councils were required to produce a local plan but this often took many years. In 2004 the Government passed legislation to simplify and speed up the production of planning documents and ingrain community involvement into the planning system. Under the new system:
“Spatial planning goes beyond traditional land use planning to bring together and integrate policies for the development and use of land with other policies and programmes which influence the nature of places and how they function. This includes policies which can impact on land use, for example, by influencing the demands on or needs for development, but which are not capable of being delivered solely or mainly through the granting of planning permission and may be delivered through other means.”
2.11 All local authorities are required to replace their local plan with a local development framework (also called an LDF) consisting of short, separate documents:
This contains the vision and broad spatial strategy for the area. Non-site specific policies against which planning applications can Core Strategy be decided are also included. All of the other plans below must conform to the vision set out here.
This contains specific policy requirements for individual sites, which may include conservation and protection policies as well as Site Specific Policies policies for new development. It will not include policies for any area covered by an Area Action Plan.
These contain specific policies for the future use and development of particular areas. If an area is covered by an Area Action Plan Area Action Plans there will be no coverage of that area in the site-specific policies document.
This identifies all site-specific policies contained in the plan on an Proposals Map Ordnance Survey base map of the area.
2.12 Spatial planning is about getting the right development in the right place at the right time. It is a key way of delivering sustainable development and creating sustainable communities. It allows us to keep things the same where they are working well and to change things where they are not working so well.
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2.13 Plans must consider a wide range of aspects such as housing, employment, transport, health education and the environment. They must be specific to their place, capable of being measured and should clearly set out who is responsible for delivering objectives.
2.14 The five key stages involved in preparing a spatial plan are:
Identify the main problems and drivers of change
Develop a comprehensive spatial vision
Develop strategic objectives which contribute to the spatial vision
Translate objectives into Core Strategy and generic development control policies
Devise a implementation and monitoring framework to deliver and measure success
What is the East of England Plan and why is it important?
2.15 The East of England Plan is the planning document for the counties of Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Essex, Norfolk and Suffolk which together make up the East of England region. It sets out a strategy to guide the pattern of development to 2021. It includes policies on housing, economic development, retailing, the environment, transport and much more.
2.16 The Plan was prepared by a body called the East of England Regional Assembly (known as EERA) which comprises representatives from local authorities, environmental bodies, industry, academic and the voluntary sector.
2.17 It is anticipated that the East of England Plan will be formally adopted by the Government in early 2008. Once adopted all our plans must be in general conformity with it. This means that our objectives and policies must reflect those of the regional plan.
2.18 At the time of writing it was the Government’s Proposed Changes version of the regional plan that provide the framework for the future of Stevenage. It states that Stevenage should be growth area for 16,000 new homes of which 6,400 should be in Stevenage and up to 9,600 in new neighbourhoods in North Hertfordshire. It also recommends a Green Belt review, improved transport infrastructure and job growth of 18,000 in Stevenage, North Hertfordshire and East Hertfordshire.
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What role does the Sustainable Community Strategy play?
2.19 The sustainable community strategy is the outcome of a comprehensive process to develop a shared vision for the future of Stevenage. It was written by the local strategic partnership – Stevenage Partnership – made up of public, private, voluntary and community organisations. All the members of the partnership are signed up to the actions required to deliver the vision for Stevenage.
2.20 The sustainable community strategy was updated in 2007 and was specifically written to accord with the Core Strategy. Its four themes are children and young people, healthier communities and older people, safer and stronger communities and economic development and the environment.
2.21 The Core Strategy and other plans are the principal way of delivering the spatial and land use elements of the sustainable community strategy.
What is Strategic Environmental Assessment and Sustainability Appraisal?
2.22 The new planning system requires plans to go through a European process called strategic environmental assessment (known as SEA) and a national process called sustainability appraisal (known as SA) which together consider the social, economic and environmental effects of a plan’s proposals. This is to ensure that our preferred options are sustainable.
2.23 A sustainability appraisal has been prepared alongside this consultation document and is available on our website (www.stevenage.gov.uk). The results of the appraisal have been used to inform our preferred options and are referred to in the reasoned justification.
How does the Core Strategy fit in the wider plans for Stevenage?
2.24 The Core Strategy provides the framework for the whole of the local development framework. All subsequent plans that we produce must be in conformity with it. Details of the process and the other documents we intend to produce are set out in our local development scheme which is available on our website (www.stevenage.gov.uk).
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2.25 The proposed appearance of the Stevenage LDF is shown below. Those documents in red are currently out to public consultation, those in blue have already been produced and those in black will be produced in the future.
Development Plan Documents:
Local Core Strategy Development and Generic Scheme Proposals Map Development Control Policies
Site Specific Annual Policies Monitoring Local Report Development Framework Area Action Plans: Supplementary Planning Documents: Gunnels Wood Gunnels Wood Old Town Town Centre Town Centre Statement of Design Guide Urban Expansion Community Involvement Section 106 Guide
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How will you prepare the plans?
2.26 In preparing plans we have to do the following work at the following stages:
This stage involves us establishing an up-to- date Stage 1 information base on a range of social, economic and Development of Evidence Base environmental matters. We spent 2005 on this stage.
The results of Stage 1 were used to identify issues that Stage 2 the plan needs to address and the options available to Key Issues and Alternative Options deal with each issue. A Key Issues and Alternative Consultation Options report was prepared and available for public consultation for 6 weeks in June/July 2006.
Comments received during Stage 2 have been used to prepare a ‘Preferred Options’ plan which sets out our preferred approach and provides a summary of the other CURRENT STAGE options that were rejected. This ‘Preferred Options’ plan Preferred Options Consultation will be available for consultation for 6 weeks from September 2007. This will include an appraisal of the plan’s social, economic and environmental implications.
This stage involves us further developing and refining our Stage 4 preferred options and the precise drafting of policy Preparation of DPD wording for inclusion in the ‘submission’ plan.
The plan is sent to the Government in the final form that Stage 5 we prefer, at which point a further 6 week consultation Submission DPD Consultation period will start. There will be a second appraisal of the plan’s social, economic and environmental implications.
This stage means that we have to consult on any Stage 6 ‘alternative sites’ put forward by other people in response Alternative Sites Consultation to the Stage 5 consultation exercise. This stage does not apply to the Core Strategy.
An Inspector appointed by the Government will carry out an independent examination of the ‘soundness’ of the Stage 7 plan. This process allows those dissatisfied with the plan Examination to make further written comments and, if they wish, to appear in front of the inspector in person.
The inspector goes away and writes a summary report of Stage 8 the examination and decides what changes (if any) are Receipt of Inspector’s Report necessary. Once we receive the inspector’s report we will and Adoption publish it and amended the plan in line with the his or her changes. It is this version of the plan that will be adopted.
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What is soundness?
2.27 Once the Core Strategy reaches the Examination stage it will be assessed against nine tests of soundness. The presumption is that the plan is sound unless evidence presented at the Examination shows otherwise.
It has been prepared in accordance with the local development scheme
It has been prepared in compliance with our statement of community involvement
The plan and its policies have been subjected to sustainability appraisal
It is a spatial plan which is consistent with national planning policy and in general conformity with the regional spatial strategy and has properly had regard to any other relevant plans, policies and strategies related to the area or to adjoining areas
It has had regard to our community strategy
The strategies / policies / allocations are coherent and consistent within and between plans prepared by us and by neighbouring authorities where cross boundary issues are relevant
The strategies / policies / allocations represent the most appropriate in all the circumstances, having considered the relevant alternatives, and are founded on a robust and credible evidence base
There are clear mechanisms for implementation and monitoring
The plan is reasonably flexible to enable it to deal with changing circumstances
How will you involve the community?
2.28 Our statement of community involvement (known as the SCI) was adopted in December 2006 and is available on our website (www.stevenage.gov.uk). It sets out how we will involve the community in the preparation, alteration and review of planning policies.
Plans being available for you to look at in our offices, local libraries and on our website
Plans being made available for you to buy and study at your leisure
Letters to groups, stakeholders and any individuals that have already told us that they want to be involved (over 700 people and organisations so far) inviting comments
Press releases and adverts to local newspapers, radio stations and in the Council’s regular magazine to householders
Sending out leaflets, flyers and brochures
Setting up public exhibitions, displays and road shows
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Holding meetings with individuals and representatives of groups and organisations
Giving presentations to groups, organisations and stakeholders
Holding interactive workshops such as ‘enquiry by design’
How have you decided which matters to consult upon?
2.29 Because it is frustrating to find out that your views can have no influence as the decisions have already been made, we will only consult you on those matters that are genuinely open to debate and change.
2.30 It is therefore a matter of principle that we should only consult you on those matters where no choice has yet been made (although that is not to say that we may not have already expressed an opinion about some of these matters) and where we have the power to make the decision through our plans.
2.31 Some topics are not open to public consultation for a variety of reasons: those that are already settled and those to be determined in other plans at some point in the future. Certain matters for example are already settled in higher level planning documents such as the East of England Plan. These matters include the level of housing numbers to be built in Stevenage to 2021, the need for new neighbourhoods (or urban extensions as the Plan calls them) and the directions of growth of those new neighbourhoods.
2.32 Also falling into this category are matters settled by the Government such as the preferred types of locations for new homes, offices, businesses, shops and leisure facilities, the need to promote the use of buses, trains, cycles and walking and to restrain car parking. A third category of things not open to consultation, because they have already been agreed, include projects such as the town centre regeneration scheme and many housing allocations set out in the adopted Stevenage District Plan Second Review (2004).
Do I need to be a planning expert to respond?
2.33 No, you do not need to be an expert to respond. Although the planning system uses technical terms we have written our consultation documents so that they appeal to a wide audience, including non-planning people.
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2.34 We have tried to use plain English, avoid technical language and acronyms, simplify issues and keep the document to a reasonable length. If you find any terms which you are not familiar with they may be explained in the glossary in Appendix 1.
2.35 In some cases the use of plain English may have simplified sometimes complex technical issues and language. Professionals used to dealing with the planning system will appreciate the complex issues and inter-relationships that lie behind this language. If you would like a fuller explanation of the issues and inter-relationships please contact us and we will be happy to explain matters more fully to you.
We will be happy to explain matters more fully to you
What do I need to comment upon and how should I respond?
2.36 The subsequent pages of this document explain how and why we have chosen our preferred option and why we have rejected alternative options. When responding to this document we would like you to comment on whether you agree with our reasoning and whether you support our preferred option or prefer an alternative option we have rejected.
2.37 We would greatly appreciate comments being submitted on-line at www.stevenage.gov.uk.
2.38 If you are unable to respond on-line we will happily accept written comments by e-mail, post, fax or textphone. Unfortunately we cannot accept oral comments.
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By mail Planning Policy Stevenage Borough Council Daneshill House Danestrete Stevenage SG1 1HN
By fax 01438 242922
By textphone 01438 242555
By email [email protected]
2.39 You may find it helpful to keep a copy of the comments that you send us.
2.40 Please be aware that all comments will be made publicly available for anyone to see upon request. We cannot accept confidential comments or keep any material that you send us secret under the terms of the Freedom of Information Act.
2.41 If you are proposing additional or alternative areas for development or protection you must send us at least one A4 sized Ordnance Survey map clearly showing the area at a scale of at least 1:2500 so that the boundaries of the site and its location are clear. We cannot accept any proposals where we cannot clearly identify the location or the detailed boundaries of the area.
2.42 All comments should reach us by 5pm on Friday 2nd November 2007. Comments received after this time will not be considered. Comments on non-planning matters will not be accepted as part of this consultation exercise and may be returned to you. We will not accept any comments that contain obscene, racist or other illegal, unlawful or objectionable material of any nature and may pass any such material to the police.
2.43 We will consider all relevant response and prepare a Submission document in June 2008 which you will have another opportunity to comment on once it is sent to the Secretary of State.
What will you do with any written comments I send you?
2.44 All relevant written comments we receive by the end of the consultation period will be acknowledged in writing. At the end of the consultation period we will read and analyse all
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responses and prepare a summary report that will be sent to all those organisations and individuals who made comments. A copy of the report will also be available at our Danestrete office and on our website (www.stevenage.gov.uk).
2.45 We will then prepare a report to the Council’s Executive (those Councillors charged with leading the Council) that outlines the main issues raised and makes recommendations for future action. Where we consider it appropriate, in the light of all the factors concerned, the substance of your comments will be reflected in subsequent versions of our plans.
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Background information
History
3.1 The manor of “Stithenaece” was first recorded in the Domesday Book in 1086. Aided by the Great North Road the town was very wealthy during the medieval period. Small settlements and farms developed and parish churches were built at St Marys and St Nicholas. By the 18th century the town was an important coaching stop in and out of London.
3.2 New industries developed during the 19th century and the population began to grow. The arrival of the railway in 1850 caused coach trading to subside and inns along the High Street to close. Shops and offices thrived however and industries remained well established. The first factory was built in 1883 and provided the main source of employment until the 1950s.
3.3 During the Second World War the Government began considering ways to address London’s housing problems and overcrowding. Sir Patrick Abercrombie’s 1944 Greater London Plan proposed the creation of satellite new towns.
Stevenage concept diagram and original 1944 masterplan
3.4 Stevenage was designated as England’s first New Town in 1946 to provide homes, work and recreation for residents within a self-contained community. The town was designed and built during a period of post-war optimism under Clement Attlee’s Labour Government. Whereas people living in poverty in London’s East End and elsewhere had survived on the margins of
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society with little or no access to services, the masterplan for Stevenage sought to provide homes, jobs and services for all its residents. The self belief was evident:
“Stevenage will in a short time become world famous. People from all over the world will come to see how we in this country are building for the new way of life.”
Lewis Silkin (1945) Minister for Town and Country Planning
3.5 The first masterplan sought to accommodate 60,000 people in neighbourhoods clustered around a pedestrian town centre. Each neighbourhood had its own shops, churches, pubs, schools and community centres. Industry was planned to the west away from homes and open space was provided throughout. The underlying belief was that a good physical environment would produce good social effects.
A good physical environment would produce good social effects
3.6 The masterplan was revised throughout the 1950s and 1960s as the population grew faster than expected. New homes and industrial areas were planned and roads, schools and other services were built. By the 1970s however a new urban crisis was looming and the Government began to re-allocate resources to inner cities. In 1980 responsibility for planning passed from the Development Corporation to the Borough Council.
3.7 Since 1980 the development of Stevenage has been guided by a Labour controlled Stevenage Borough Council and a generally Conservative controlled Hertfordshire County Council. Much of what has happened has occurred without the benefit of a comprehensive masterplan and without working towards a common vision.
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3.8 In the 2000s the Government’s sustainable communities agenda, the East of England Plan and the sustainable community strategy for Stevenage provide an opportunity to establish a new vision for Stevenage.
Geography of Stevenage
3.9 Stevenage is located in Hertfordshire about 30 miles north of London. It is one of the largest towns in the county with about 80,000 residents.
3.10 The town is divided into distinct land uses. Employment areas are located to the west at Gunnels Wood and the north-east at Pin Green. The town centre, Old Town and railway station are centrally located with surrounding neighbourhoods containing about 33,000 homes. These central facilities are complemented by 10 large and 12 small neighbourhood centres that provide shops and community facilities for local residents plus leisure facilities, retail parks and supermarkets. Open spaces and play areas are well distributed throughout the town. All parts of the town are linked by wide roads and a cycle and pedestrian network.
The town is linked by wide roads and the cycle and pedestrian network
3.11 Stevenage is situated on the East Coast Main Line with long distance rail services operating between London and the north, outer suburban services between Kings Cross, Cambridge and Peterborough and inner suburban services between Moorgate, Hertford and Letchworth.
3.12 Stevenage is served by the A1(M) which links London, the Midlands and the north, the A602 which links Hitchin and Ware and the A505 which links Luton and Cambridgeshire. The urban road network comprises three main north-south routes and four main east-west routes.
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3.13 There is a comprehensive bus network and most homes are within 400 metres of a bus route. There are good pedestrian connections between the rail and bus stations and an extensive, purpose built and largely off-carriageway cycle and pedestrian network.
3.14 Stevenage is surrounded by open countryside and villages such as Aston, Codicote, Datchworth, Graveley, Knebworth, Langley, Walkern, Weston and Wymondley.
Opposition to growth
3.15 The Borough Council is aware that the regeneration and growth agenda and some of our preferred options may attract criticism. Opposition to the principle of Stevenage and its growth is nothing new:
In his history of the Development Corporation Jack Balchin states that many Hertfordshire residents questioned why the New Town should be imposed on them and resources spent on schools, roads and sewers when local people were not allowed to live there. The New Town was built for people moving out of London and elsewhere.
From his vantage point at Rooks Nest Farm E. M. Forster described the creeping of suburbia out of London as a “red rust” on the landscape.
During Lewis Silkin’s visit to Stevenage in 1946 the Minister for Town and Country Planning was booed, his car tyres deflated and railway station signs were replaced with “Silkingrad”. This parodies the renaming of cities in Russia such as Leningrad and Stalingrad after communist leaders.
For a short time the railway station was renamed “Silkingrad”
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Key statistics
3.16 Stevenage has about 80,000 residents, 33,000 homes and 40,000 jobs.
Rest of Stevenage Hertfordshire England Under 16 22% 21% 20% Working age 64% 64% 64% Over 65 14% 15% 16%
Ethnic minorities 5.4% 4.5% 9.1%
Detached and semi-detached 30% 53% 54% Terrace 52% 28% 26% Flats 18% 19% 20%
Managers and professionals 37% 48% 40% Intermediate 33% 30% 32% Routine and manual 30% 22% 28%
No qualifications 27% 23% 29% GCSEs 47% 54% 48% Degree 15% 24% 20%
Male life expectancy 76.6 77.9 76.6 Female life expectancy 80.5 81.7 80.9
Sources: 2001 Census, Department of Health profiles and Nomis
3.17 Stevenage has a high proportion of young people which has implications for education provision. Fortunately we have the same percentage of working age residents as elsewhere however which means there is little impact on the local economy. We have a low proportion of ethnic minorities compared with England.
3.18 We have a low proportion of managers and professionals compared with England and particularly with the rest of Hertfordshire. There are a high proportion of residents with no qualifications and a low proportion with a degree. Stevenage may have trouble attracting growth sectors if it cannot offer a skilled workforce.
3.19 Life expectancy hides a range of deprivation issues related to health, diet and smoking.
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Main problems
4.1 There are many problems facing Stevenage which need to be addressed:
2 In housing terms, there is a serious lack of social and affordable homes with 4,100 people on our waiting list. The average market home costs eight times the average salary. A high income is needed to afford even the cheapest homes. The town mostly offers three bed terraced homes but there is a demand for more one bed homes. There is also a lack of more expensive homes for highly skilled workers. Only 12% of homes are detached compared with 23% in the rest of Hertfordshire.
2 In employment terms, the original manufacturing base has experienced decline and has not been sufficiently replaced by new, more profitable, industries. Very few businesses choose to rent offices in the town and new business registrations are significantly lower than the Hertfordshire average. Businesses struggle to recruit and retain highly skilled workers. Unemployment is not a problem at the moment but has been in the past. It is predicted that the town’s economy will barely grow over the next 20 years.
2 In financial terms, Stevenage residents earn less per week than other Hertfordshire residents. Many people who commute into Stevenage are more qualified, more senior and higher earners than Stevenage people who either choose not to live here or cannot find a suitable home here. One in five children live in a low income home.
2 In education and skills terms, residents are less well qualified than the county and national average. Only 15% have a degree. Few have the qualifications to occupy senior or managerial positions. Education is greatly under-valued and this continues a trend of low aspirations, with poor GCSE results and most students leaving school at 16. There are limited local chances for higher education.
2 In health terms, life expectancy is lower than the Hertfordshire average. Death from cancer is high for women and deaths related to smoking are high for both sexes. There are high rates of unprotected sex resulting in infection and teenage pregnancy twice the Hertfordshire average. The number of still births and child deaths exceed the national average. One in five adults are obese and only one in six has a healthy diet.
27 Stevenage LDF Core Strategy and Generic DC Policies
2 In deprivation terms, Stevenage experiences many of the problems associated with large urban areas. We are the most deprived district in Hertfordshire and contain some of the county’s most deprived areas. There are pockets of serious deprivation.
2 In transport terms, the A1(M) narrows to two lanes between junctions 5 and 8 causing tailbacks. Trains run at close to capacity with many travellers forced to stand. Road congestion is worsening at some junctions during peak hours. The cycle and pedestrian network is greatly underused. Parts of the town have large surface car parks that don’t make the best use of space.
2 In retail terms, the fabric of the town centre is dated, decaying and needs regenerating. The town no longer performs its role as a sub-regional shopping centre and there is a considerable loss of spending to surrounding towns. It cannot offer a “day out” experience. Neighbourhood centres struggle to compete with supermarkets and there are concerns about the balance of shops and pubs in the Old Town.
2 In physical terms, many buildings were built in a single generation. They are looking tired and need replacing. The town does not contain the types or volumes of brownfield land which exists in towns that have grown over a longer period and in a more organic manner. This places development pressure on green spaces.
2 In environmental terms, there are many open spaces but few important wildlife areas and many urban spaces with little or no landscaping.
2 In geographical terms, Stevenage is constrained by a tight administrative boundary and Green Belt designations. Most growth potential is in North and East Hertfordshire.
2 The top 3 problems identified by residents are road and pavement repairs, activities for teenagers and levels of crime. Other issues include social housing, traffic congestion, shopping facilities, health services and job prospects.
4.2 Overall Stevenage is less prosperous, less successful and is regarded as less desirable than other Hertfordshire towns.
28 Stevenage LDF Core Strategy and Generic DC Policies
Drivers of change
5.1 Drivers of change are the way we can solve our main problems. It is very difficult however to predict all future drivers of change. 20 years ago there was no internet, Channel tunnel or budget airlines, few personal computers or mobile phones and only 4 TV channels. The best we can do is ensure that our plans are flexible and responsive to changing circumstances.
3 In planning terms, the Government’s sustainable communities agenda seeks to tackle housing affordability and delivery a step change in housing supply. Emphasis is placed on raising densities and re-using brownfield land. The emerging East of England Plan sets out a vision for Stevenage as a self-contained and sustainable community with 16,000 new homes and strategic employment growth. We need to build 2.2 new homes every day. It also requires a review of the Green Belt boundaries to 2031.
3 In economic terms, Stevenage is identified as a focal point for key economic activities and an urban renaissance. This sits within a context of manufacturing decline, the role of London as a world city and its influence on commuting and the on-going impacts of the European Union and globalisation. Changing working practices include a greater role for women, a delayed retirement age, flexible working patterns and home working. The loss of large companies could seriously affect the local economy.
3 In demographic terms, older people are living longer, many women are delaying childbirth until later in life and there is a decline in average household size as people choose to live on their own and as marriages and relationships end. This is fuelling the need for more homes. We expect growth to raise the population to about 110,000.
3 In education terms, Hertfordshire County Council’s Building Schools for the Future bid is likely to be for fewer but better secondary schools. This sits within a context of national ambitions to encourage more university entry rates.
3 In environmental terms, the threat of climate change has generated emphasis on sustainable transport, renewable energy, water saving and waste minimisation. New homes must be zero carbon by 2016. Fossil fuel supplies may become increasingly insecure. Nuclear energy may play a more important role.
29 Stevenage LDF Core Strategy and Generic DC Policies
3 In transport terms, Stevenage is identified as a regional transport node for better public transport, reduced congestion and improved journey reliability. London to Cambridge road and rail routes are identified for further study. Levels of car ownership and long distance commuting may be balanced against rising fuel costs, road user charging and a shift towards less polluting forms of transport.
3 In health terms, the emphasis on enhanced primary care centres will replace services provided by doctors’ surgeries and hospitals. A move towards smoking bans could drastically reduce cancer related deaths. The number of people suffering from long term conditions such as heart distance, diabetes and obesity is likely to increase.
3 In retail terms, town centre regeneration will re-assert the town’s role as a sub-regional shopping centre. Traditional shopping patterns may be affected by internet shopping and the increasing dominance of supermarkets (up to £1 in every £10 spend on non food goods). Pressures may arise in response to cheap food imports, food miles, local farmers markets and Fair Trade produce.
3 In lifestyle terms, rising salaries and flexible working hours provide more opportunities for leisure and recreation. Communities of geography (where family and friends live nearby and people gossip with their neighbours over the fence) are being replaced by communities of interest (where family and friends live long distances apart, people do not know their neighbours and instead socialise through clubs, events and on the internet). 24 hour licensing raises “booze culture” concerns but will help to generate an evening economy.
3 In local governance terms, emphasis is being placed on community leadership and the transfer of services to the “third sector” (organisations which exist between the market and the state and re-invest profit in pursuit of their objectives). A change in political leadership could always affect planning policies and processes.
30 Stevenage LDF Core Strategy and Generic DC Policies
Section 1: Core Strategy Policies
Core Strategy policies set out the vision for the future of Stevenage.
They give spatial expression to the objectives of the sustainable community strategy and implement the policies of the emerging East of England Plan.
They are policies which influence the nature of Stevenage and how it functions and must be delivered through a variety of means not just through planning permission.
31 Stevenage LDF Core Strategy and Generic DC Policies
Spatial vision
6.1 The spatial vision is a description of how Stevenage will change by 2021. It gives spatial expression to the sustainable community strategy for Stevenage and seeks to deliver the ambitions of the emerging East of England Plan. It also responds to the main problems and drivers of change that Stevenage is likely to face.
6.2 Our Core Strategy Key Issues and Alternative Options consultation document set out a draft vision that:
“Stevenage will grow by 2021 into an emerging regional city that is prosperous, healthy, clean, green and safe. It will have a strong sense of purpose and will be a place in which people are proud to live, work, visit and do business. Stevenage will be an employment and housing growth area of regional significance where growth and regeneration are complementary.”
6.3 This was supported by 17 objectives encompassing issues such as employment, housing, education, town centre regeneration, transport, the environment, prosperity and image.
Stevenage: a prosperous, healthy, clean, green and safe community
6.4 In response to Question CS1) “Do you agree with the overall vision for Stevenage?” a number of respondents endorse the vision to be an emerging regional city, although one queries whether it is true that a city needs a cathedral. It isn’t. Any town can apply to become a city whether it has a cathedral or not although Stevenage does actually have a Coptic cathedral at Shephalbury Park.
32 Stevenage LDF Core Strategy and Generic DC Policies
6.5 Hertfordshire County Council suggest that the vision exceeds the sustainable community strategy in terms of a regional city aspiration. They describe it as overly specific and are disappointed that it lacks reference to transport, infrastructure elements and sustainable physical development. They note that achievement of the vision will require significant public and private investment and close inter-agency commitment between existing and new partners. North Hertfordshire District Council object to the regional city aspiration and the lack of reference to infrastructure and sustainable physical development.
6.6 The Government Office for the East of England state that the vision is not as spatially specific as they would expect. It requires further development to properly fulfil its role by being made more spatial. There should be more explicit links between the spatial vision and strategic objectives, with core strategy policies grouped under spatial objectives to aid monitoring. The East of England Regional Assembly want greater emphasis on climate change and the positive relationship between new neighbourhoods and the rest of the Borough. The East of England Development Agency expect further account to be taken of regional economic strategy aspirations.
6.7 Of the 23 respondents who clearly select an option, 12 agreed with all of the issues and supported the vision and 11 agreed with some of the issues and supported some elements of the vision. None disagreed with all of the issues and the vision.
6.8 In light of these comments we prefer the term “emerging regional centre”.
Relevant plans and strategies
6.9 Government guidance2 states that our spatial vision should take account of other relevant plans and strategies. These include the emerging East of England Plan, the regional economic strategy, county plans for minerals, waste management and transport plus strategies for health, education and other relevant subjects. Such plans and strategies are identified in relevant chapters.
North Hertfordshire sustainable community strategy
6.10 The spatial vision should also take account of the visions and objectives of adjoining district councils. These are North Hertfordshire and East Hertfordshire.
2 PPS12 Local Development Frameworks 33 Stevenage LDF Core Strategy and Generic DC Policies
6.11 North Hertfordshire District Council published their Core Strategy Preferred Options consultation document in September 2007. Their spatial vision is:
“By 2021 North Hertfordshire will have accommodated a significant increase in the number of houses, but will retain its feel of vibrant small and medium sized towns surrounded by the attractive countryside and villages of the Chiltern Hills ridge. We intend that the new development will have minimal yet beneficial impact on the environment and the people who live there will be well integrated into the local community. The residents of the district will have good access to local shops, facilities and transport and a wide range of jobs will be available locally to minimise the need to commute.”
6.12 This is complemented by strategic objectives covering issues such as housing, employment, transport, infrastructure, town centres, the environment and climate change.
6.13 The document specifically states that Stevenage expansion is opposed and that policies will only be incorporated once the East of England Plan is adopted. To our minds this conflicts with the intentions of the emerging East of England Plan and the spatial vision for Stevenage.
6.14 The sustainable community strategy for North Hertfordshire seeks to make the area a vibrant place to live, work and prosper. Its themes include housing, leisure, planning, safety, health, education, town centre, environment and transport.
6.15 With the exception of the opposition to growth there is no reason to suppose that the spatial vision and strategic objectives for Stevenage will conflict with any of the existing priorities for North Hertfordshire.
East Hertfordshire sustainable community strategy
6.16 In East Hertfordshire the council have been granted special permission to adopt their local plan before preparing a local development framework. Their emerging local plan does not contain a spatial vision for the district. Their sustainable community strategy however sets a vision to conserve the rich and diverse natural environment and improve the quality of life. Its themes include protecting the high quality environment, improving traffic and transport, providing affordable housing, safeguarding neighbourhoods and promoting healthy lifestyles.
34 Stevenage LDF Core Strategy and Generic DC Policies
6.17 Once again there is no reason to suppose that the spatial vision and strategic objectives for Stevenage will conflict with any of the existing priorities for East Hertfordshire.
Stevenage sustainable community strategy
6.18 Government guidance3 expects there to be a strong link between sustainable community strategies and local development frameworks. This is certainty true in Stevenage where the two processes have been progressed in parallel so that the documents contain similar aims and objectives.
6.19 Our updated sustainable community strategy for Stevenage – called Our Town, Our Future – sets out a vision to:
“Our vision is to create a town that is prosperous, healthy, clean, green and safe. We want Stevenage to be a town with a strong sense of community in which people are proud to live, work, visit and do business. We want Stevenage to grow in a sustainable way and to be an important regional centre looking ahead and building on its new town heritage.”
6.20 The rest of the strategy is split into four priorities:
Support and enable all children and young people to enjoy good health, live and healthy lifestyles and grow up about to look after themselves
Improve the health of Stevenage people, reduce health inequalities and ensure that there is equal access to quality health care
Improve quality of life and deprived parts of the town, make sure everyone is valued, improve image, develop arts and sports, reduce crime and fear of crime and provide good quality affordable homes in well maintained neighbourhoods
Promote a sustainable economy and improve employment prospects for local businesses, create cleaner and greener communities with a sustainable transport network
3 PPS12 Local Development Frameworks 35 Stevenage LDF Core Strategy and Generic DC Policies
SPATIAL VISION for STEVENAGE
Stevenage will be an emerging regional centre that is prosperous, healthy, clean, green and safe. It will be a place where people want to live, work, visit and do business.
Stevenage will be a balanced and more self-contained community with a full range of jobs, homes and services. Better education will help people learn new skills and earn more money. Better health care will help people live longer and healthier lives. Regeneration and growth will ensure these opportunities exist in all areas of the town.
Development in the town will make good use of land and reduce travelling distances.
A range of new homes to buy or rent will be built near jobs and services. The town centre and neighbourhood centres will be regenerated to improve shops, community and leisure facilities. Gunnels Wood will continue to be our main employment area.
Open spaces, historic areas and the best parts of the New Town will be protected.
New neighbourhoods to the west and north of the town will provide homes to buy or rent and land for modern offices and factories. Neighbourhood centres, community facilities and open spaces will be planned close to homes. Green links will connect the existing town and surrounding countryside.
All development will be designed to enhance its surroundings and low carbon to reduce its impacts on climate change. Services will be built at the same time as new homes. Roads and railways will be improved and we will make it easier to walk, cycle and catch the bus.
36 Stevenage LDF Core Strategy and Generic DC Policies
Strategic objectives
7.1 Strategic objectives set out policy directions that will be pursued to achieve our spatial vision.
7.2 The Core Strategy Key Issues and Alternative Options consultation document put forward a draft spatial vision supported by 17 objectives encompassing issues such as housing, employment, the Green Belt, education, skills, town centre regeneration, transport, green spaces, environment, prosperity, deprivation and image.
7.3 Question CS1) “Do you agree with the overall vision for Stevenage?” generated particular interest to protect our historic built and valued natural environment. The Environment Agency advise that the built and natural environment should be considered as separate issues and should reflect Government guidance to enhance as well as protect. They dismiss the term “valued” as too subjective. English Nature, English Heritage and Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust all seek less specific wording along the lines of “protect and enhance the natural environment” and suggest this should include biodiversity and geodiversity.
7.4 A number of respondents seek additional vision components. These include achieve high quality design in new development (English Heritage), manage flood risk (Environment Agency), strengthen the treatment of climate change (East of England Regional Assembly), reference to a safe and efficient transport system (Hertfordshire County Council) and a robust economic plan (Hertfordshire Chamber of Commerce and Industry). Other respondents suggest reference to equalities, value diversity and residents share in the prosperity of the area (Stevenage Partnership), acknowledge the economic benefits of Luton airport expansion (Terence O’Rourke, representing London Luton Airport) and make provision for appropriate infrastructure in line with new development (Thames Water). More specific requests include greater recognition of the role of centrally located sports and leisure facilities, health care and the provision of arts and cultural facilities.
7.5 A handful of major criticisms are levelled at the draft vision components. Hertfordshire County Council describe them as overly specific particularly for quoting housing targets. North Hertfordshire District Council similarly object to the specificity of the scale of growth. They recommend that 6,400 homes should be caveated as a definite minimum. They also criticise the components as a wish list and recommend less specific wording.
37 Stevenage LDF Core Strategy and Generic DC Policies
7.6 The Government Office for the East of England request a more explicit link between the spatial vision and strategic objectives and suggest that grouping policy headings to reflect strategic objectives would assist at Preferred Options stage.
7.7 Two respondents object to the draft vision component “rolling back the Green Belt to permit sustainable urban extensions.” Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust suggest the caveat “but with minimal impact on land of high environmental and biodiversity value.” One respondent asserts that the answer to the problem is not to build more houses and another queries the lack of reference to Garden City 21 visions. (Garden City 21 was the process used to consult on the Stevenage West planning application).
7.8 In light of these responses we have revised our strategic objectives so that they take forward the main components of our preferred spatial vision. They are also written to provide chapter headings for Core Strategy policies and generic development control policies.
7.9 All policies and proposals should contribute to our 2 preferred overarching strategic objectives:
[SO1] SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY
To make Stevenage a balanced and more self-contained community and ensure
development contributes to local, national and global sustainability objectives.
[SO2] PROSPERITY THROUGH REGENERATION and GROWTH
To ensure residents share in growing prosperity through a combination of
physical, social and economic regeneration and growth in all parts of the town.
38 Stevenage LDF Core Strategy and Generic DC Policies
Our 7 geographic and topic based preferred strategic options are:
[SO3] HOUSING
To provide land for new homes that makes good use of brownfield and
sustainable greenfield sites and reduces travelling distances. Sites will deliver
a full range of social, market and more expensive homes.
[SO4] EMPLOYMENT AREAS
To deliver regional economic aspirations by providing land for a full range of
jobs in sustainable locations. Emphasis will be placed on providing a wider range
of economic activities with a shift towards growth sectors.
[SO5] TOWN CENTRE and SHOPPING
To regenerate the town centre as a modern shopping centre for the growing
population. This will be complemented by a mix of shops in the Old Town,
neighbourhood centres, retail parks and supermarkets.
[SO6] NATURAL ENVIRONMENT
To protect and enhance the natural environment for wildlife and recreation and
to extend the network of open spaces into new neighbourhoods and the
surrounding countryside.
39 Stevenage LDF Core Strategy and Generic DC Policies
[SO7] BUILT ENVIRONMENT
To create attractive, enjoyable and distinctive places by protecting and
enhancing the built environment. Particular emphasis will be placed on retaining
the vitality of the Old Town whilst recognising its conservation value and
sensitivity to change.
[SO8] SOCIAL FACILITIES
To provide education, health care, community and leisure facilities at the same
time as new homes and jobs.
[SO9] TRANSPORT and UTILITIES
To provide transport facilities and power, water and communication utilities to
support new homes and jobs.
7.10 All policies and developments are expected to occur within the delivery framework set by our final preferred strategic objective:
[SO10] IMPLEMENTATION and MONITORING
To explain how we will deliver our spatial vision and strategic objectives and
how we will monitor policies to ensure that they are working.
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Sustainable community
8.1 A sustainable community is a well planned, well built and well run place. It has a strong local economy, a safe and healthy environment, good services and public transport and a mix of decent homes. It is a place where people want to live and work now and in the future. We think Stevenage is already a sustainable community but we also think it can be better.
Sustainability and quality of life
8.2 The two most important elements of a sustainable community are sustainable development and quality of life. Sustainable development is a simple idea that seeks to meet our social needs, protect the environment, manage natural resources and maintain economic prosperity. A policy or development is only sustainable when it achieves all four aims.
8.3 Quality of life is about our overall enjoyment of life. Decent homes in a nice neighbourhood with well paid jobs and high quality facilities generally lead to a higher quality of life. Run down homes in a crime ridden neighbourhood with low paid jobs and poor quality facilities generally create a lower quality of life.
8.4 The main sustainability problems facing Stevenage are not unique to the town. The single greatest challenge is likely to be climate change. The release of greenhouse gases from human activities such as burning fossil fuels and driving is raising global temperatures. This is melting the ice caps, raising sea levels and changing weather patterns.
8.5 A recent Government study by Sir Nicholas Stern has found that delaying action will have severe economic and environmental consequences. We will have hotter drier summers and milder wetter winters. Flooding will be more common. Climate change will also affect wildlife and habitats that are easily affected by changes in temperature and rainfall.
8.6 Other sustainability challenges include waste management and water consumption. Our attitude to rubbish means that landfill sites are running out. We need to reduce the amount we throw away and encourage recycling. Modern products like dishwashers, power showers and sprinklers means that groundwater is being used up. We need to use less water. This will also reduce the pressure on waste water treatment facilities.
41 Stevenage LDF Core Strategy and Generic DC Policies
8.7 The main drivers of change are national and regional efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by encouraging energy efficiency and renewable energy generation, low carbon and zero carbon homes, to prevent flooding and pollution and to address waste management and water conservation.
8.8 In many ways Stevenage performs well in sustainability terms. Government data reveals that homes emit about 40% less carbon dioxide than the Hertfordshire average. A recent ecological footprint study4 – which assesses the amount of land and water that residents need for the resources they consume – has found that our footprint of 5.0 hectares per person is lower than the Hertfordshire average of 5.3 hectares per person.
We need to reduce our ecological footprint
8.9 Despite doing well in Hertfordshire terms our ecological footprint is much larger than the global average of 2.2 hectares per person and the world’s actual capacity of 1.8 hectares per person. We are using more than our fair share. Although it is possible to exceed ecological limits for short periods this damages the environment in the long term. We have a long way to go to be truly sustainable.
8.10 Our sustainable community strategy seeks to improve everybody’s quality of life and to meet the needs of the present without comprising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. The council has recently signed the Nottingham Declaration to address the causes of climate change and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
8.11 Stevenage also performs well in quality of life terms. Our household survey5 reveals that 70% of residents like Stevenage as a place to live. Only 12% express any negative views.
4 Hertfordshire 2004 Quality of Life report 5 Best Value General Survey 42 Stevenage LDF Core Strategy and Generic DC Policies
8.12 In response to Question CS2) “How can we ensure that people have the best possible quality of life?” of the Core Strategy Key Issues and Alternative Options consultation document, Hertfordshire County Council suggest that all options should be addressed as far as the planning process is able to do so. One respondent faults the fact that quality of life is not defined and another that cultural heritage should be acknowledged. English Nature welcome the inclusion of environmental quality.
8.13 Of the respondents who clearly select issues which most affect quality of life, education, health and housing are the top 3 options and religion/belief, sexual orientation and ethnicity/nationality are the bottom 3 options. Of the respondents who clearly select issues which could most improve quality of life, better education provision, better health care provision and better employment opportunities are the top 3 options and access to a private vehicle, more open space and access to public transport are the bottom 3 options.
8.14 As Stevenage grows we want to ensure that it continues to be a well planned, well built and well run place. We also need to be sure that the decisions we make now do not damage the environment in the future. In future years we want our children and grandchildren to look back and see that we made the best choices we could. They should not have to wonder why we failed to tackle the problems that we knew we were creating.
8.15 We have not carried out a sustainability appraisal as all of the objectives listed in this policy reflect existing national and regional guidance. We have included this as a preferred policy however as it provides clear guidance for development and planning decisions.
43 Stevenage LDF Core Strategy and Generic DC Policies
[CS1] SUSTAINABILITY and QUALITY OF LIFE
Our preferred option is to create a more sustainable community by ensuring
that development achieves local, national and global sustainability objectives and
improves the quality of life for residents and visitors.
Reduce the need to travel and the length of journeys
Encourage journeys by buses, trains, walking and cycling
Reduce greenhouse gas emissions and the impacts of climate change
Be energy efficient and increase the use of renewable energy
Build more low and zero carbon homes
Reduce, re-use and recycle more water and waste
Avoid all forms of pollution including the separation of noise generating and
noise sensitive uses
Avoid and mitigate flood risk
Protect and enhance wildlife and habitats
Protect and enhance the built environment
Make better use of land
Encourage mixed use developments
Reduce our ecological footprint
Contribute to social progress and economic regeneration
Increase community awareness and involvement
8.16 Sustainability and quality of life objectives can be monitored using the Government’s core indicators and our own local indicators. Sources such as the Hertfordshire quality of life report will also be useful. Sustainability and quality of life objectives can be implemented through all policy and development decisions that we make. Community involvement will be addressed through our statement of community involvement (also known as SCI).
44 Stevenage LDF Core Strategy and Generic DC Policies
Commuting and self-containment
8.17 A major sustainability problem relates to commuting. The original masterplan intended that Stevenage would be a balanced and self-contained community where people could live and work. It did not want Stevenage to be a dormitory to London.
8.18 Unfortunately the concept had two drawbacks. Firstly the types of homes and jobs available skewed the population in favour of “blue collar” workers and their families. There was less provision for “white collar” workers and those of non-working age. Secondly once workers had a home there was nothing to stop them finding a job elsewhere which is exactly what happened as cars got cheaper. By the 1960s the self-containment rate was down to 88% as more people chose to commute to jobs outside Stevenage.
8.19 The self-containment rate is now down to 57%. This is the percentage of Stevenage residents of working age who also work in the town. It means that 43% of working age residents commute to somewhere else to work.
8.20 Census data reveals that each day about 17,200 people commute out of Stevenage to work mostly in North Hertfordshire, Welwyn Hatfield and London and each day they are replaced by about 19,400 people who commute into Stevenage mostly from North Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire. This means that the town has an extra 2,200 workers each day. This is called net in-commuting. It also means that although Stevenage is not self-contained neither is it a dormitory to London.
8.21 The main driver of change is the emerging East of England Plan which seeks to create more sustainable relationships for homes, jobs and services and the transport links between them.
8.22 In response to Question CS3) “Should Stevenage become a more self-contained community?” of the Core Strategy Key Issues and Alternative Options consultation document, the general consensus is that self-containment is a worthy objective but difficult to achieve in practice. Nathanial Lichfield, representing GlaxoSmithKline, recruits its highly skilled workforce from the regional, national and even international labour market. Sourcing all of its labour force from Stevenage is unfeasible. They welcome the opportunity for staff to live close to their place of work and assert that this relies on the right type of housing in appropriate locations. Charles Planning Associates, representing Croudace Strategic Ltd, believe high in-commuting rates reflect the lack of suitable housing for mobile workers.
45 Stevenage LDF Core Strategy and Generic DC Policies
8.23 Hertfordshire County Council welcome self-containment as a way of encouraging sustainable transport patterns but assert that aligning jobs and workforce does not necessarily mean that new jobs will be filled by the new workforce. They predict that self-containment will diminish over time as residents commute elsewhere (especially London) and jobs are filled by in- commuters from the north. This raises dormitory concerns and the possibility that net in- commuting will increase.
8.24 North Hertfordshire District Council support self-containment in the best interests of sustainability and recommend a proactive and multi-agency approach to maintain the jobs/homes balance. Hertfordshire Chamber of Commerce and Industry describe self- containment as an impossible ideal but note that Stevenage West provides an opportunity for more current employees to live in the town. Other respondents likewise note that current in- commuting implies a lack of suitable housing for the most mobile.
8.25 Other reasons for supporting self-containment include fewer people will use the strategic road network (Highways Agency), reducing traffic will positively benefit health (North Hertfordshire and Stevenage Primary Care Trust), local roads are already congested during rush hour and that commuting wastes energy. One respondent states that we should acknowledge the contribution that those who work out of town make in terms of spending power and investment in the local economy. Another respondent suggests that Stevenage should be regarded as part of a city region including Hitchin, Letchworth and Baldock. Overall the East of England Regional Assembly highlight that achieving self-containment across the region, whilst recognising the on-going role to meet some of London’s needs, is a key principle of the regional plan.
8.26 Of the 20 respondents who clearly select an option, 14 support making Stevenage more self- contained and 6 do not wish to achieve self-containment.
8.27 There are many benefits to being more self-contained. It will reduce the need to travel and the length of journeys. Census data reveals that the average commuter travels 22 km compared to just 3 km for those who live and work in Stevenage. People are more likely to cycle or walk short journeys. It will also reduce greenhouse gas emissions. At present commuting to, from and within Stevenage emits about 200 tonnes of carbon dioxide a day6. It will make Stevenage a more prosperous and vibrant town able to withstand economic
6 Based on Census data of commuting distances by car and assuming average emissions of 0.23 kg per km 46 Stevenage LDF Core Strategy and Generic DC Policies
downturns. More people living and work in the town will make public transport and other services more viable. This will encourage investment.
0 3 km 22 km
8.28 Our sustainability appraisal finds many benefits in being more self-contained. It will enable more people to live and work in Stevenage. This will improve services, encourage investment, enhance the town’s character and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Becoming less self-contained would limit investment, create longer journeys and produce more greenhouse gas emissions. Becoming a dormitory to London would limit investment in Stevenage as residents would be more likely to use shops and leisure facilities in London. It would reduce greenhouse gas emissions however if more people commuted by train.
8.29 We acknowledge the general consultation consensus that self-containment is difficult to achieve in practice and that there is little we can do to enforce it. We cannot dictate where people live, where they work or how far they travel between the two. We can achieve greater self-containment and prevent Stevenage from becoming a dormitory to London by aligning the number of jobs and homes. This will ensure people have the opportunity to live and work in Stevenage.
8.30 It is entirely possible for Stevenage to become more than 57% self-contained. Towns such as Hemel Hempstead and Harlow achieve 61%, regional cities such as Ipswich and Norwich achieve 72% and Peterborough New Town exceeds 80%.
Jobs
8.31 The greatest threat to self-containment comes from the pessimistic future painted by recent employment projections. Growth may be as low as 60 jobs over the plan period7. These projections take forward the poor performance of manufacturing, machinery and transport industries in recent years. They do not anticipate any shift towards growth sectors such as business services and retail. This would lead to stagnation, decline and possible collapse of the local economy with inevitable consequences for an already deprived community. It does
7 “Business as Usual” projection (Experian 2004) 47 Stevenage LDF Core Strategy and Generic DC Policies
not match the identification of Stevenage as an economic growth area. There is a clear indication that growth areas such as Stevenage should be optimistic in their economic plans.
8.32 At the time of preparing our Key Issues and Alternative Options consultation document the draft East of England Plan contained a target for 14,400 new homes in and around Stevenage and 64,700 jobs for Hertfordshire. It did not break the jobs target down to district level. We therefore set out options for Stevenage using employment projections and our skills and employment study.
8.33 At the East of England Examination in Public we supported a target of 14,500 jobs. This used a worker per household ratio set out in our skills and employment study to calculate how many new jobs would be needed to align the number of new homes with new workers. We considered that this would create the best conditions for greater self-containment. The study recommends that growth should focus on primary sectors such as retail, information communications technology, hotels and catering, advanced aerospace and defence, financial and business services and research and development. This should be supported by secondary sectors such as construction, education, health and social work.
8.34 The main driver of change is now the emerging East of England Plan. This allocates 16,000 new homes in and around Stevenage. The increase of 1,400 homes from the draft plan are already accounted for by the Great Ashby development. As most workers living in Great Ashby already have jobs we do not consider it is necessary to revise the job target we supported at Examination. We consider that 14,500 jobs represents a challenging enough target. In reality a job target can only be used as a guide rather than a strict maximum or minimum. Job delivery cannot be planned in the same way as new homes. It is far more sensitive to economic conditions and can be affected by the arrival or departure of a major employer.
8.35 The emerging East of England Plan sets a target of 18,000 jobs to be shared between Stevenage, North Hertfordshire and East Hertfordshire. It implies that at least 9,000 of these should go to Stevenage.
8.36 Annual Business Inquiry data (also known as ABI) reveals that there were 40,400 jobs in Stevenage in 2001. At the time of writing this has risen to 46,800. If correct it implies that we only need 2,600 more jobs to achieve a 9,000 jobs target. It suggests that a higher target than 9,000 is appropriate to ensure that Stevenage continues moving forward.
48 Stevenage LDF Core Strategy and Generic DC Policies
8.37 Correspondence with the Government Office for the East of England has revealed that they would not necessarily object to targets for Stevenage, North Hertfordshire and East Hertfordshire which total more than 18,000 jobs. Regional policy allows local targets to be revised where councils have based their decision on sound evidence.
18,000 new jobs to Stevenage, North Hertfordshire and East Hertfordshire
8.38 In response to Question CS4) “How many new jobs should there be in Stevenage?” of the Core Strategy Key Issues and Alternative Options consultation document, the East of England Regional Assembly report that they are undertaking work to translate sub-regional job figures into district targets. They envisage that higher options are needed in Stevenage with appropriate public sector interventions to deliver them.
8.39 The East of England Development Agency assert that the Core Strategy should aim to deliver the aspirations of the regional economic strategy, particularly sub-regional policies to achieve a closer match between labour supply and demand through affordable housing, education and training, develop Stevenage as a focal point for key economic activities between London and Cambridge, deliver an urban renaissance and ensure an adequate supply of employment land and premises.
8.40 English Nature and the Environment Agency warn that employment provision should take account of environmental considerations and avoid negative impacts by avoiding flood risk; remediating previously developed land; considering established habitats in redevelopment schemes, respecting watercourses and using sustainable drainage systems. Mitigation should be applied where impacts are unavoidable or compensated for as a last resort.
8.41 Hertfordshire County Council and North Hertfordshire District Council both support a target of between 1,300 and 8,200 jobs. The County Council assert that wide ranging mechanisms and multi agency efforts are needed to bring about a change in the town’s prospects but
49 Stevenage LDF Core Strategy and Generic DC Policies
highlight a real chance of failure given the competition from nearby centres. Respondents emphasise that a good mix of offices, manufacturing and science parks are needed rather than just warehousing. Other respondents support job growth to maximise employment opportunities, reduce travel on the strategic road network and obtain optimum benefits from Luton airport expansion.
8.42 Of the 14 respondents who clearly select an option, 3 support medium growth, 4 support high growth and 7 support growth aligned with housing growth and tempered to reflect net in- commuting.
8.43 Our sustainability appraisal reveals that low and medium job growth would be unsustainable. People could live in Stevenage but would have to out-commute to jobs elsewhere. This would put pressure on already congested transport routes. It would result in a loss of spending in the local economy and reduce our ability to sustain services and facilities. It would greatly increase greenhouse gas emissions. High job growth would provide reasonable opportunities for people to live and work in Stevenage. Aligned job growth would create the right conditions for people to live and work in Stevenage and balance net commuting. An even higher target would result in more in-commuting. This would place pressure on already congested transport routes.
8.44 In light of these issues we think that 14,500 jobs would be challenging and require a high degree of intervention. It could also exceed the regional target of 18,000 for Stevenage, North Hertfordshire and East Hertfordshire if neighbouring councils adopt high targets. We therefore feel that a target higher than 9,000 and lower than 14,500 is the most appropriate and sustainable option.
8.45 At the time of writing we are unaware of any sub-regional jobs work being undertaken by the East of England Regional Assembly. We will work with the regional assembly and with North Hertfordshire East Hertfordshire to agree appropriate job targets for the three councils.
Balance of people
8.46 Our sustainable community strategy seeks to make Stevenage a place where everyone is valued regardless of race, religion, disability, age or gender.
50 Stevenage LDF Core Strategy and Generic DC Policies
8.47 The original masterplan intended that Stevenage would be a balanced community. Over time however the types of homes and jobs have skewed the population in favour of “blue collar” workers and their families. There is less provision for “white collar” workers. We have therefore commissioned an aspirational housing survey that has been sent to high paid workers in Stevenage who do not currently live here to find out what they would look for. This will be available to inform our Submission document.
8.48 Another important issue is the presence – or rather the absence – of ethnic minorities. Only about 5% of the town’s residents are from an ethnic minority. This ranges from 3% to 11% in different neighbourhoods. It is notably lower than the national average of 9%.
8.49 An ethnic group is a community that share history and cultural traditions that distinguish them from the surrounding community. Such groups make a valuable contribution to the community and local economy. For example one in ten new businesses are started by Asians and Asians are 30% more likely to get a degree than the rest of the population.
[CS2] BALANCE and SELF-CONTAINMENT
Our preferred option is to build upon and re-assert the New Town concept of a
balanced and more self-contained community:
Work with the East of England Regional Assembly, North Hertfordshire
and East Hertfordshire to agree the distribution of jobs in the area
Balance the number of jobs and homes and the types of jobs and homes
Provide jobs at the same time as new homes
Ensure a balanced mix of residents including singles, couples, families, the
elderly, disabled people and a range of social and ethnic groups
Provide facilities and services which reduce the need to travel to locations
outside of Stevenage
8.50 Jobs can be monitored using the new national planning application form which requires developers to state the number of existing and proposed employees. Job data can also be
51 Stevenage LDF Core Strategy and Generic DC Policies
obtained from Annual Business Inquiry and Census. The best indicator of self-containment comes from Census commuting data. The next Census will take place in 2011.
8.51 The alignment of homes and jobs can be implemented through the allocation and phasing of land. The provision of transport infrastructure will also play an important role. Council officers will contact developers if they feel that more information is needed to determine a proposal. A high job growth target requires strong delivery mechanisms. Our preferred options to establish a local delivery vehicle and designate simplified planning zones are set out in the Implementation and Monitoring chapter.
52 Stevenage LDF Core Strategy and Generic DC Policies
Prosperity through regeneration and growth
9.1 Prosperity is an important element of quality of life. People are generally happier when they are financially secure. This means being able to pay the rent or mortgage, feed and clothe themselves and their family and access local services.
9.2 In national terms Stevenage is relatively prosperous: we are the 203rd least deprived district in England (out of 354). We face fewer problems than many declining industrial towns and inner city areas. Although big steps have been made some people in Stevenage do experience deprivation and this should not be ignored. It is therefore best to consider prosperity in relative terms by comparing Stevenage with Hertfordshire.
Stevenage Hertfordshire
Weekly earnings £463 £529
VAT registrations per 10,000 residents 226 383
GCSEs (5 A* - C) 47% 61%
Degree qualification 15% 24%
Teenage pregnancy per 1,000 52 29
Infant deaths per 1,000 live births 6 4
Children in poverty 19% 12%
People who smoke 26% 21%
Deaths from smoking per 100,000 380 122
Healthy eating 17% 24%
Obese adults 22% 17%
Male life expectancy in years 76.6 77.9
Female life expectancy in years 80.5 81.7 Sources: Department of Health profiles, Nomis and 2001 Census
9.3 Earnings are an indicator of the types of jobs available in Stevenage and the skills that residents have to offer. Stevenage has fewer residents in managerial and professional jobs and more residents in lower skilled jobs than Hertfordshire. VAT registrations are a sign of a
53 Stevenage LDF Core Strategy and Generic DC Policies
strong and healthy economy: our low rate demonstrates a less buoyant economy and limited entrepreneurial activity. This situation is made worse by poor educational outputs and few graduates. Life expectancy is a good indicator of general health. High rates of smoking, unhealthy eating and obesity all contribute to a lower life expectancy than Hertfordshire.
9.4 Perhaps the most concerning statistic is that one in five children live in poverty. The Hertfordshire Community Foundation8 concludes that this is among the most severe in England. It is particularly concerning as there are a high proportion of children living in single parent families with few resources and attending schools that fail to provide qualifications to help them escape poverty.
What causes deprivation?
9.5 Information from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation – a charity that seeks to understand and overcome poverty – reveals that deprivation is closely related to education and skills. Leaving school with transferable skills can make people more employable, improve health and lower crime levels. These qualities pass from parents to children. There is a similar relationship between few qualifications and low paid work, poor health, teenage pregnancy and higher crime rates. Breaking the transfer of low aspirations is critical to tackling deprivation.
9.6 It is important to acknowledge that none of these issues on their own demonstrate that Stevenage is deprived or that deprivation is experienced by all residents. Taken together however they reveal that Stevenage is the 15th most deprived district in the region (out of 47) and the most deprived district in Hertfordshire. It also contains some of the county’s most deprived areas. This is shown in the picture below.
Least deprived Most deprived In the UK
In the region
In Hertfordshire Source: Index of Multiple Deprivation
8 Overcoming Deprivation in Hertfordshire 54 Stevenage LDF Core Strategy and Generic DC Policies
9.7 Deprivation is most evident in the town’s original neighbourhoods. Bedwell to the east of the town centre is the most deprived area in Hertfordshire. Newer neighbourhoods further from the town centre are generally more prosperous. The exception to this rule is that Bandley Hill on the eastern boundary of the town is the second most deprived area in Stevenage.
9.8 Bedwell and Bandley Hill have a high proportion of young people and few retired residents. Many residents are in poor health or have a long term illness. Over a third do not work and few have professional jobs or a degree. As a result they score poorly in terms of income and employment. Our education study suggests that both areas are served by poorly performing secondary schools.
9.9 The obvious differences are the mix of homes and distance from services. Bedwell contains a high proportion of council rented terraces and tower block flats. Bandley Hill has more detached and semi-detached homes. Bedwell scores poorly in terms of crime whereas Bandley Hill scores poorly in terms of education, housing and services.
9.10 There are a number of questions we must answer in order to raise prosperity:
Why is Stevenage the most deprived district in Hertfordshire?
Why are areas of Bedwell and Bandley Hill more deprived than anywhere else?
What are the circumstances that cause this deprivation?
9.11 Nearby towns such as Hitchin, Letchworth and Welwyn Garden City do not experience the same levels of deprivation so it is not because of our location. East Hertfordshire is the sixth most prosperous area in the UK. Stevenage experiences net in-commuting so it is not due to a lack of jobs. There are enough schools places for children living in the town so it is not due to overcrowded classrooms. Most homes are within 400 metres of a bus route so it is not due to isolation or a lack of transport. There is plenty of open space so it cannot be blamed on a poor environment.
9.12 In reality the deprivation experienced in Stevenage is the result of many overlapping and inter-related factors. It is due to the types of jobs and homes available, the quality of education and the value that residents place upon learning. It is more severe in older neighbourhoods because such areas offer less desirable housing to prosperous families than suburban neighbourhoods.
55 Stevenage LDF Core Strategy and Generic DC Policies
9.13 The main driver of change is the emerging East of England Plan which describes Stevenage as a place where people suffer disadvantage from poor access to services, worse health and a lower quality of life. It identifies the town as an area of significant deprivation and states that planning policies should tackle social, economic and environmental problems and address regeneration needs.
Regeneration and growth
9.14 Our strategic objective seeks to erode deprivation and bring about greater prosperity through regeneration and growth. We need to make the most of our advantages and embrace the opportunities offered by the emerging East of England Plan.
9.15 Our sustainable community strategy seeks to improve the life chances of people living in the more deprived parts of the town. It wants children and young people to achieve their full potential and develop skills to help them lead a fulfilling and rewarding adult life. It wants to improve the job prospects of residents to support and sustain local businesses. It also wants to improve the image of Stevenage and pride in the town.
9.16 Regeneration will improve the town by redeveloping the town centre, transforming schools, renovating neighbourhood centres and providing new health care and community facilities. It will provide new housing opportunities and strengthen employment areas. Regeneration on its own however will not attract enough people or investment to alter the town’s fortunes.
9.17 Growth will raise the number of homes in Stevenage to about 49,000 and the population to about 110,0009. This will attract new residents and investment by widening the choice of housing, providing new employment land and improving the transport system. It will encourage higher skilled and more entrepreneurial people to live and work in Stevenage. It will also create a critical mass of population to support better services. Growth on its own however will not share the benefits with existing residents.
9.18 Regeneration and growth will result in benefits far greater than the sum of their parts. A redeveloped town centre and neighbourhood centres will encourage residents to shop locally and make the town a more attractive place to visit. Transformed schools will raise education standards for local children and attract aspirational families who value education. A report10
9 Based on Chelmer projections of 107,500 and our population study assumption that new neighbourhoods will contain aspirational homes for larger households 10 What Home Buyers Want (2005) 56 Stevenage LDF Core Strategy and Generic DC Policies
by the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment (known as CABE) finds that high quality schools are a key factor for new residents. New health facilities will offer better medical care and help prevent general ill health. New housing will offer affordable and aspirational homes for existing residents and attract skilled and key workers to create a balanced community capable of supporting a wide range of services that everyone can access. New employment sites will attract key businesses who will themselves be attracted by the presence of a skilled workforce. New businesses will kick start the local economy and all residents will benefit from better paid jobs. An improved transport system will allow people to travel between homes, jobs and services. Environmental improvements and new open spaces will make the town more attractive for everyone. Attention will focus on both existing and new neighbourhoods.
Raising aspirations and skills
9.19 Raising aspirations is an equally important part of our spatial vision. It will provide people with the ability and confidence to progress themselves and to do better than others might expect simply because of what they do or where they live. People with aspirations are more likely to achieve their potential. People with fewer aspirations are less likely to break through barriers to achieve their potential. Aspirations must therefore be encouraged in children from a young age.
9.20 Our skills and employment study considers that low aspirations are an across the board issue: in school, further education and in the workforce. It should be a priority for the council.
9.21 In response to Question CS6) “How can residents gain the benefit of substantial employment growth and the rise in prosperity?” of the Core Strategy Key Issues and Alternative Options consultation document, Hertfordshire Chamber of Commerce and Industry assert that it is important to provide jobs that meet a higher skills profile to raise skills levels and salaries above the county average.
9.22 Hertfordshire County Council take a more restrained view by envisaging that Stevenage’s economic future is unlikely to change dramatically in the foreseeable future. A managed programme of economic growth should provide jobs that continue to meet the existing skills profile whilst also raising skills and re-skilling if jobs utilising such skills are expected to come to Stevenage. Raising the skills of young people is desirable under any circumstance.
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9.23 Nathanial Lichfield, representing GlaxoSmithKline, support local training initiatives to maximise opportunities to draw on a skilled local workforce. North Hertfordshire and Stevenage Primary Care Trust do not wish to see unemployment levels rise because opportunities for re-skilling and re-training diminish.
9.24 One respondent asserts that attracting a range of employment opportunities such as high technology manufacturing, science parks, health, information technology and aeronautical engineering alongside specialist colleges will help to achieve mutual employment and education growth. One local group recommends addressing the image and perception of Stevenage before worrying about change or expansion. Other respondents support the need to have a range of occupations but acknowledge that only providing low quality jobs will create a vicious circle. It is queried whether raising prosperity is something that planning documents can realistically influence.
9.25 Of the 25 respondents who clearly select options, 7 support jobs that meet the existing skills profile, 16 support a higher skills profile, 13 support re-skilling the existing resident workforce and 20 support raising the skills of young people.
9.26 Our sustainability appraisal finds that all options would provide the opportunity to live and work in Stevenage. Focusing on the existing skills profile would not necessarily create jobs that are satisfying or appropriate to people’s potential. Re-skilling the existing workforce would have almost immediate benefits and would be complemented by having better skilled young people entering the job market in the future. This would benefit the local economy. Efforts may be needed to ensure that young people work in the town after university courses.
Future challenges
9.27 Regeneration and growth will create future challenges. New neighbourhoods to the west will be separated from the existing urban area by the A1(M). It is fully intended however that all new neighbourhoods will be part of Stevenage. The Stevenage West planning application includes two roads and five cycle and pedestrian links under the motorway that will connect with the existing transport network. The presence of the A1(M) will not make such growth feel separate from the rest of the town. Many neighbourhoods in Stevenage are separated by major roads – such as St Nicholas by Martins Way and Symonds Green by Lytton Way – that cyclists and pedestrians cross using underpasses.
58 Stevenage LDF Core Strategy and Generic DC Policies
9.28 Greater prosperity will create new challenges. At present our ecological footprint is the result of some people not being able to afford cars, luxury goods or foreign holidays. As residents become more prosperous they are likely to travel more, own larger homes and buy more goods and leisure services. It is estimated that people produce a tonne of greenhouse gases for every extra £5,000 they earn. This is why our first strategic objective is to create a balanced and sustainable community.
9.29 The consequence of not doing these things will create more deprivation. If education gets worse people will leave school with few skills and little chance of a well paid job. This will create more low income households and lead to poor health, more teenage pregnancy and lower life expectancy. It will damage the town’s image and discourage new residents and businesses. This will make it even more difficult to find a well paid job and create a downward spiral of decline that is very difficult to correct.
Image
9.30 We can also help to bring about regeneration and growth by addressing the image of Stevenage. This is a key objective of the emerging East of England Plan, the regional economic strategy and our sustainable community strategy.
9.31 On one hand Stevenage is home to multi-national companies who pay high wages to skilled employees. The town attracts 19,400 commuters and offers a major hospital, popular leisure facilities and large public parks. It is within easy travelling distance of London and a number of international airports.
9.32 On the other hand Stevenage has many different characteristics from the typical Hertfordshire market town. This includes the pre-dominance of uniform terraced homes and some concrete architecture.
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[CS3] PROSPERITY THROUGH REGENERATION and GROWTH
Our preferred option is to erode deprivation and ensure residents share in the
growing prosperity through a combination of regeneration and growth.
Raise aspirations, earnings and life expectancy
Raise education standards and help people learn new skills
Create a workforce with skills that match existing job opportunities and
new job opportunities in growth sectors
Increase the number of new businesses and entrepreneurial activity
Improve the image of Stevenage
9.33 The twin aims to erode deprivation and bring about greater prosperity can be measured using a variety of indicators such as the Government’s Index of Multiple Deprivation. We will use these indicators to see how much Stevenage has improving compared to previous years and in relation to the rest of Hertfordshire and the region.
9.34 Eroding deprivation and bringing about greater prosperity requires co-ordinated effort from a wide range of partners. This includes the council, Hertfordshire County Council as the local education authority, East and North Hertfordshire Primary Care Trust as the health authority and many others.
9.35 The Government’s decent homes agenda wants all council homes to be warm, weather proof and have reasonably modern facilities by 2010. This is being addressed by Stevenage Homes Limited who are using Government funding to fit new kitchens and bathrooms, improve electricity and heating systems and replace windows and roofs. At the time of writing about 52% of council homes in Stevenage are “decent” standard. A further 4,000 need to be improved. This ranges from about 26% of homes in Symonds Green to 66% of homes in Chells. Stevenage Homes Limited have a rolling programme to improve all of these homes by 2010 and to ensure none fall below “decent” standard after this date.
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9.36 The Government has recently published guidance11 for councils and primary care trusts to help teenage parents. It recommends dedicated services for young mothers, positive engagement with young fathers and better co-ordination of local services.
9.37 The Government is expected to hand greater responsibility to communities to decide where public money should be spent. This will allow local people to identify and tackle the most pressing problems in there area.
9.38 Our neighbourhoods strategy seeks to tackle local inequalities by preparing detailed neighbourhood action plans linked to the council’s wider objectives. These will take a proactive approach in developing learning and skills, tackling local issues and integrating services.
11 Teenage Parents Next Steps (2007) 61 Stevenage LDF Core Strategy and Generic DC Policies
Housing
10.1 Housing refers to existing and future homes in Stevenage. A key purpose of the planning system is to decide how many homes we need and where they should be built. It is also important to consider what types of homes we need, the types of people that will live in them and their affordability.
10.2 Government guidance12 seeks to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to live in a decent home in a community where they want to live and at a price they can afford. Emphasis is placed on bringing about an “urban renaissance” by reviving towns as a popular place to live. This can be achieved by raising densities and re-using brownfield land. It is the opposite of “suburbanisation” which has resulted in many people moving to the edge of towns where they rely on cars for most journeys.
10.3 The original masterplan for Stevenage aimed to accommodate a balanced mix of residents in neighbourhoods clustered around the town centre. This was achieved by allocating homes based on family size, profession and income. Most homes were affordable in today’s sense as they were rented from the development corporation. Densities were also low as the masterplan included wide roads, gardens and green spaces.
10.4 Revised masterplans made provision for new neighbourhoods as the population grew and average household size declined. Major changes occurred in the 1980s with the dissolution of the development corporation and the transfer of many homes to private ownership under the Conservative’s “right to buy” policy.
10.5 Today Stevenage has about 80,000 residents and 34,000 homes. About 30% of these are affordable. Only 370 homes are vacant. The average home contains 2.4 people but this is expected to decline as people live longer, more people choose to live on their own and as marriages and relationships end. A traditional “nuclear” family of parents and children living together is increasingly less likely.
10.6 The main driver of change is the Government’s sustainable communities agenda which seeks to tackle affordability and deliver a step change in housing supply. This is done through the emerging East of England Plan which identifies Stevenage as a housing growth area and allocates 16,000 new homes in and around the town. This comprises at least 6,400
12 PPS1 Delivering Sustainable Development 62 Stevenage LDF Core Strategy and Generic DC Policies
homes in Stevenage and up to 9,600 in new neighbourhoods in North Hertfordshire. It includes at least 5,000 new homes at Stevenage West.
10.7 Growth will raise the number of homes in Stevenage to about 49,000 and the population to about 110,000. We need to decide where new homes should be built, what types of homes we should build and how many of them should be affordable.
10.8 The emerging East of England Plan also provides scope for a strategic Green Belt review around Stevenage that should release enough land to avoid a further review before 2031. This should be based on the same rate of growth as currently proposed. This equates to 8,000 new homes in the period 2021 to 2031. This could raise the number of homes in Stevenage to over 50,000 and the population to about 125,000.
10.9 One of the main purposes of the UK planning system is to make best use of land and protect the countryside. This is done through Green Belt, brownfield and density policies. Focusing development in towns avoids having to build in the countryside. Los Angeles is an extreme example of what happens when urban sprawl is not prevented. At the other end of the scale however we do not want densities to be so high that people live in cramped conditions. A small flat may be the ideal home for people living on their own or as a couple but it may not be suitable for a family. We want to provide a range of homes where people genuinely want to live rather than somewhere they are prepared to live until they can afford something better.
Strategic housing trajectory
10.10 Government guidance13 requires a housing trajectory to demonstrate how new homes will be delivered. This should achieve both the borough target of 6,400 homes and the average annual target of 320 homes by identifying specific and deliverable sites for the first 5 years after this plan is adopted, specific sites for the next 5 years and specific sites or broad locations for the final 5 years. It should not include windfall sites in the first 10 years unless specific sites cannot be identified. It should also reflect anticipated shortfalls, surpluses and the views of the development industry. The trajectory will be updated every year in our annual monitoring report.
13 PPS3 Housing 63 Stevenage LDF Core Strategy and Generic DC Policies
10.11 Our strategic housing trajectory makes provision for at least 6,400 new homes in Stevenage. It also takes account of new neighbourhoods to the west and north of the existing urban area in North Hertfordshire where up to 9,600 homes are planned. A trajectory for these homes will be set out in the Stevenage and North Hertfordshire Action Plan. This will take account of 3,600 homes with “minded to grant” planning permission at Stevenage West and the emerging East of England Plan policy for a total of 5,000 homes at Stevenage West.
10.12 Our housing requirement at the time of writing is:
New neighbourhoods Source Stevenage in North Hertfordshire Total Completions 2001 – 2007 978 1,193 * 2,171
…of which brownfield 421 0 421
…of which greenfield 557 1,193 * 1,750
Commitments at April 2007 956 441 * 1,397
…of which brownfield 632 0 632
…of which greenfield 324 441 * 765 Stevenage West “minded to 1,000 ** 2,600 3,600 grant” Stevenage West policy 0 1,400 1,400 support for 5,000 homes East of England Plan target 6,400 9,600 16,000
Outstanding target 3,466 5,366 8,832
* At Great Ashby to the north east of Stevenage ** The exact figure will be determined through a masterplan. This could raise it to about 1,500.
10.13 We will update our strategic housing trajectory to take account of further completions and commitments in our Submission document. In actual fact we have already built about 980 homes in Stevenage since 2001. This includes 100 in the Old Town area, 55 in the town centre area and 825 in the rest of the existing urban area.
64 Stevenage LDF Core Strategy and Generic DC Policies
[CS4] STRATEGIC HOUSING TRAJECTORY
Our preferred option is to build at least 4,200 new homes within the existing
urban area of Stevenage.
At least 400 new homes in the Old Town that will be identified in the Old
Town Area Action Plan.
At least 900 new homes in the town centre that will be identified in the
Town Centre Area Action Plan.
At least 3,000 new homes in the rest of the existing urban area that will
be identified in the Site Specific Policies document.
Our desired approach is to build at least 2,200 new homes on greenfield land
to the west and north of the existing urban area that will be considered in the
Stevenage and North Hertfordshire Action Plan.
Stevenage West
10.14 Stevenage West is the name of a greenfield development site to the west of the A1(M). It was identified in the 1998 Hertfordshire Structure Plan for at least 5,000 new homes. This was at a time when the County Council was jointly controlled by Labour and the Liberal Democrats. The site was supported by Stevenage Borough Council but opposed by North Hertfordshire District Council and by the Conservatives once they regained control of Hertfordshire County Council.
10.15 It has been almost 10 years since Stevenage West was allocated and the development has still not started. The concept has been debated and examined many times and it has always been found that there is an overriding need for the development and no major obstacles to prevent it going ahead. At the time of writing a planning application for 3,600 homes has “minded to grant” approval from the Secretary of State.
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10.16 Our strategic housing trajectory reveals that about 11,800 homes will be built on greenfield sites in Stevenage and North Hertfordshire. We are concerned that other new neighbourhoods will suffer similar delays to those experienced at Stevenage West. This could make it difficult to achieve our strategic housing trajectory. This is why we support a local delivery vehicle to help overcome delays and disputes.
Social and affordable homes
10.17 A main problem in Stevenage relates to house types. This refers to size, cost, who is likely to live in them and how much land is needed. The most serious issue is the cost of housing.
10.18 The Government defines affordable homes as homes for people whose needs are not met by the market. We prefer to use the term “social homes” as this reflects that fact that affordability is not guaranteed. Some affordable homes are still too expensive for Stevenage residents. Social homes should be cheap enough for people to afford them and should remain cheap in the future. The term includes social rented homes owned by the council and registered social landlords and key worker and other intermediate homes which costs more than social homes but are cheaper than market homes.
The cost of housing is a serious issue
10.19 At present 30% of homes in Stevenage are available to buy or rent at below market value. At the time of writing there are 4,100 people on our housing waiting list and about 8,500 concealed households. Many plan to leave the town due to the lack of such homes.
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10.20 Our housing needs survey concludes that home ownership is beyond the means of many residents. Those unable to buy a home now may never be able to do so. Hometrack reveals that although we have the lowest house prices in Hertfordshire (an average of £204,000 at the time of writing) we also have the lowest salaries (an average of £24,000 at the time of writing). This makes the average home eight times the average salary. A high income is needed to access even the cheapest homes. It recommends that we need to built 470 affordable homes a year.
10.21 These problems justify the need for more social homes. The main driver of change is the Government’s sustainable communities agenda which seeks to tackle the cost of housing. This is implemented through the emerging East of England Plan which sets a regional aspiration for 35% of new homes to be affordable. This equates to 2,240 of the 6,400 homes in Stevenage and 3,360 of the 9,600 homes in new neighbourhoods in North Hertfordshire. Councils should set local targets based on evidence and market information.
10.22 Our sustainable community strategy seeks to provide good quality affordable homes in well maintained neighbourhoods. The council’s affordable housing strategy seeks to increase the number of affordable homes and reduce the number of people on our waiting list. It identifies a need for about 10,900 affordable homes in the period to 2015. This is almost double the regional target of 35%. It states that 80% will be socially rented and 20% will be other types of tenure such as shared ownership. Our affordable housing viability study finds that this split is sound subject to a degree of flexibility. It also recommends that a reasonable share of new affordable homes should have at least 3 bedrooms to cater for larger families.
10.23 We have recently commissioned a joint housing market assessment with North Hertfordshire District Council. This will use survey and other information to examine housing need and demand in light of population and local economy trends, live-work patterns and other housing market issues. This will be available to inform our Submission document.
Other house types
10.24 In terms of other housing types, the original masterplan for Stevenage mostly built terraces that skewed the population in favour of blue collar workers and their families. There are few larger homes for white collar workers.
67 Stevenage LDF Core Strategy and Generic DC Policies
10.25 Our current housing portfolio is:
Detached Semi-detached Terraces Flats Stevenage 12% 18% 52% 18%
Rest of Hertfordshire 23% 30% 28% 19% Source: 2001 Census
10.26 Compared with the rest of Hertfordshire there are a lack of more expensive homes for highly skilled workers. As a result there are fewer professionals and managers and more routine and manual workers in Stevenage. This has impacted on the local economy and the town’s desirability as a business location. It is an issue that Hertfordshire Chamber of Commerce and Industry have raised with the council.
A mixed community of detached homes, terraces and flats
10.27 Government guidance14 seeks to create mixed communities by providing homes for families, couples, single people, older people and those with special needs. They encourage councils to set targets based on evidence and local market information.
10.28 Our housing needs survey recommends that a reasonable share of new homes should be for larger families. A recent green paper – a document used to consult on future Government policy – agrees that councils should provide more family homes to avoid overcrowding.
10.29 A report15 by the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment (known as CABE) finds that the ideal homes is detached with spacious rooms, parking and a private garden in a high quality environment with access to local facilities. The report acknowledges that this lifestyle is not always possible and that urban living can offer many of the same qualities.
14 PPS3 Housing 15 What Home Buyers Want (2005) 68 Stevenage LDF Core Strategy and Generic DC Policies
10.30 In response to Question CS11) “What should the balance of housing types be?” of the Core Strategy Key Issues and Alternative Options consultation document, many respondents refer to the need for an up to date housing needs survey and that provision should reflect population and household trends.
10.31 A number of respondents including Hertfordshire County Council assert that more aspirational homes is sensible in response to the pre-dominance of smaller, cheaper homes and to address Stevenage’s downmarket image, but not enough to generate out-commuting. Hertfordshire Chamber of Commerce and Industry state that the demand for more expensive homes is largely catered for by surrounding towns and villages at present. The need for more expensive town houses with gardens and high quality flats in the town centre should be mentioned. Other respondents state that development should not exceed 3 to 4 storeys.
10.32 Nathanial Lichfield, representing GlaxoSmithKline, believe that a wider choice including good quality private sector and a reasonable balance of social and key worker homes will enable more of their employees to live in Stevenage. North Hertfordshire and Stevenage Primary Care Trust support more key worker units to attract and retain health professionals. They state that all provision should be of the highest possible standards as there is a proven correlation between housing and health.
10.33 RPS, representing Fairview Homes Ltd, consider that housing provision is a commercial issue. Imposing restrictions would remove their ability to respond to market demands and erode their ability to assess scheme viability. This could reduce the number of sites coming forward and restrict commercial profit. They describe it as “unacceptable, unjustified and unprecedented levels of control on the house building industry.” Turley Associates, representing Intercounty Properties, agree that is should not be unduly prescriptive. North Hertfordshire District Council object to the use of terms such as “cheap” but note that the forthcoming Stevenage and North Hertfordshire Action Plan should consider housing types.
10.34 Of the 13 respondents who clearly suggest percentages, the cumulative results are that 21% of homes should be rented from the council, 24% should be cheap, 33% should be market and 23% should be aspirational.
10.35 Our housing viability study finds that homes for resale are cheaper in Stevenage than surrounding towns but that new build homes are comparable to elsewhere. Local market information from estate agents is that there are essentially two markets, with agents in the
69 Stevenage LDF Core Strategy and Generic DC Policies
town centre dealing with ex-council New Town homes and agents in the Old Town dealing with Old Town homes and newer estates such as Great Ashby.
10.36 At the time of writing agents dealing with the New Town report that the market is stagnant above £250,000. Most interest comes from people moving within Stevenage and from prospective buyers moving out of London and Luton. Agents in the Old Town generally deal with homes in the £300,000 to £400,000 range but often up to £750,000 and occasionally much higher. They report that house builders are keen to develop in Stevenage and that a strong market exists for higher priced homes. Both sets of agents feel that aspirational homes built in the New Town would be difficult to sell.
10.37 Issues that influence potential buyers include the negative image of New Towns, the amount of on-street parking, the importance school catchment areas, proximity to the train station, the presence or absence of quality retailers and the “wow factor”.
10.38 Agents describe more expensive flats as having two bedrooms and two bathrooms, one en- suite, a fitted kitchen with high quality fittings and allocated parking. More expensive homes are detached with four bedrooms and two bathrooms, one en-suite, three reception rooms, cloakroom, fitted kitchen, garage, two parking spaces and rear garden with privacy. Reception rooms should be at least 20 sq.m. and bedrooms should be at least 9 sq.m. In Stevenage such homes may have fewer rooms, a smaller garden and more neighbours than a similar home elsewhere in Hertfordshire.
10.39 We have recently commissioned an aspirational housing survey. This will use survey information to find out why many high paid workers do not live in Stevenage and what could change this situation. Early results are that 84% of respondents live outside of Stevenage because it is more attractive, 65% because it has more character and identity and 33% because it is nearer better secondary schools. 60% think that a better town centre and 35% think that better secondary schools would encourage them to live in Stevenage. 80% would seek a detached home and 47% would want at least 4 bedrooms. Final results will be available to inform our Submission document.
10.40 All this information suggests that we need to provide a full range of new homes and address the lack of certain types of homes. As well as more social homes we need to provide a range of market homes and some larger and more expensive homes.
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10.41 Our sustainability appraisal reveals that all housing types would facilitate population growth, reduce in-commuting and strengthen the local economy. Unbalanced provision in any one direction however could affect the local economy, commuting rates and greenhouse gas emissions. Larger homes will need more land than smaller homes but may have large gardens that provide habitats for wildlife. Smaller homes use less space but may not have any garden or open space.
10.42 The main difficulty in setting targets for house types is that our Core Strategy can only plan for new homes in Stevenage. It cannot plan for homes in new neighbourhoods in North Hertfordshire. It is especially difficult to set a target for more expensive homes as they are most appropriate in new neighbourhoods. Local market information confirms that such homes built on brownfield sites in New Town areas would be difficult to sell.
10.43 If successfully applied in new neighbourhoods this policy would create a emerging regional centre with about 16,300 social and affordable homes (one third of all stock) and about 32,700 market and more expensive homes (two thirds of all stock). It would provide enough new social and affordable homes for everyone currently on the waiting list.
[CS5] HOUSE TYPES
Our preferred option is to deliver a full range of homes and address existing
imbalances:
40% of new homes to be affordable with provision split 80% social rented
and 20% other forms
50% of new homes will be market homes
10% will be more expensive homes
Our desired approach is for the same targets to apply to new neighbourhoods in
North Hertfordshire. This will be considered in the Stevenage and North
Hertfordshire Action Plan. Site specific targets for a different balance of
homes may be set in forthcoming DPDs and AAPs.
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10.44 Housing types can be monitored using the new national planning application form which requires developers to state whether homes will be market, social rented, intermediate or key worker and whether they will be a house or flat. We will undertake regular assessments to identify future housing needs.
Brownfield land
10.45 A main problem relates to the lack of brownfield land. Brownfield land is land that has been previously developed. Because of its planned nature Stevenage does not contain the types or volumes of brownfield land and buildings which exist in towns that have grown over a longer period and in a more organic manner.
10.46 The main driver of change is Government guidance16 which prioritises brownfield land to support the renaissance of towns and protect greenfield land. The national target is to build 60% of homes on brownfield. Since 2001 we have managed to achieve 43%. The lack of brownfield opportunities in Stevenage means that the provision of new homes will have to involve green spaces within the town and greenfield sites around the edge of the town.
10.47 Since 2001 we have built 420 homes and granted planning permission for 610 homes on brownfield land. Our urban capacity study identifies opportunities for another 2,500 homes on brownfield land. Under new Government guidance17 however we may have to develop greenfield sites to ensure we achieve our yearly housing targets. Even one or two such sites could affect our brownfield rate.
10.48 Our sustainability appraisal finds that the national target of 60% would encourage the re-use of land and buildings and help bring about an urban renaissance. One of the purposes of a national target however is to allow flexibility at the local level. The lack of brownfield opportunities in Stevenage means that such a target cannot be achieved. It would lead to extremely high densities that place excessive pressure on local services. A lower target provides a degree of flexibility to bring forward sustainable greenfield sites, to build at sensible densities and to provide open space.
16 PPS3 Housing 17 PPS3 Housing 72 Stevenage LDF Core Strategy and Generic DC Policies
[CS6] BROWNFIELD TARGET
Our preferred option is to set a minimum borough-wide brownfield target of
40%.
10.49 Brownfield land can be monitored using the new national planning application form which requires developers to state the existing use of the land. Brownfield land can be implemented through site allocations in forthcoming DPDs and AAPs and windfall proposals.
Gypsies and Travellers
10.50 Gypsies and Travellers are people who have a nomadic way of life including those who stop travelling for education reasons or due to age. Stevenage currently provides 16 pitches on Dyes Lane to the west of the A1(M).
Dyes Lane Gypsy and Traveller site
10.51 Government guidance18 states that previous guidance has failed to deliver enough sites. It requires councils to undertake an accommodation assessment and make provision for any identified Gypsy and Traveller needs.
10.52 In response to Question CS14) “Should we meet the identified need for Gypsy and Traveller accommodation?” in the Core Strategy Key Issues and Alternative Options consultation
18 Circular 01/2006 Planning for Gypsy and Traveller Caravan Sites 73 Stevenage LDF Core Strategy and Generic DC Policies
document, an officer from our community development team spoke directly to Gypsies and Travellers on the Dyes Lane site. All agree that new sites are needed. Areas to the north of the town close to the A1(M) are the most popular. Only one respondent wanted Dyes Lane to be extended although some supported enlarging existing pitches. They requested improved shed and storage provision and better access to the site in the form of lighting and speed humps. Concerns were raised over the forthcoming Stevenage West development.
10.53 The Government Office for the East of England assert that future decisions should accord with national policy. The East of England Regional Assembly, Hertfordshire County Council, North Hertfordshire District Council and East Hertfordshire District Council all highlight the importance of accommodation assessments. English Nature and the Environment Agency refer to environmental constraints particularly biodiversity and floodplains.
10.54 Of the 12 respondents who clearly select an option, 3 support no additional provision, 3 support extending Dyes Lane through more pitches, 4 support enlarging Dyes Lane pitches and 2 supporting identifying an additional site.
13.1 In response to Question SP2) “Where should new Gypsy and Traveller sites be located?” of the Site Specific Policies Key Issues and Alternative Options consultation document, Hertfordshire County Council assert that sites should be fit for purpose. There should be a degree of geographical separation from the existing urban area. East Hertfordshire District Council reject a site to the east of the existing urban area on Green Belt and landscape conservation area grounds.
10.55 Since writing our Key Issues and Alternative Options consultation documents we have commissioned a north eastern Hertfordshire accommodation assessment in partnership with Broxbourne, East Hertfordshire, North Hertfordshire and Welwyn Hatfield councils and Hertfordshire County Council. It reveals a need for 35 permanent and 10 transit pitches in the study area in the next 5 years and a further 15 - 20 pitches every subsequent 5 years.
10.56 The results of this assessment have been used by the East of England Regional Assembly in their own consultation on Gypsy and Traveller sites. It puts forward options for 45 or 77 new pitches in north eastern Hertfordshire over the next five years. This equates to 7 or 15 new pitches in Stevenage.
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10.57 The consultation responses that the Assembly receive will inform regional policy. We have stated that we support efforts to address the needs of Gypsies and Travellers and that future provision should be based on the most appropriate and sustainable locations for new sites.
10.58 We have therefore commissioned a second study in partnership with Broxbourne, East Hertfordshire, North Hertfordshire and Welwyn Hatfield councils and Hertfordshire County Council to identify potential locations for Gypsy and Traveller sites. This uses search criteria such as proximity to services, landscape designations and flood zones.
10.59 At the time of writing we were informed that Hertfordshire County Council had been awarded Government funding to refurbish the existing Dyes Lane pitches and build a further 5 pitches. This could represent a significant proportion of the target for Stevenage.
Travelling showpeople
10.60 A fifth potential issue relates to sites for travelling showpeople. Travelling showpeople are business people who travel the country holding fairs. Their accommodation needs are different from gypsies and travellers as sites are mostly used during winter months and need room for caravans, vehicles and fairground equipment. At present Stevenage does not make any provision for travelling showpeople nor are we aware of any demand for such provision.
10.61 The Government has recently published a consultation circular asking whether councils should undertake an accommodation assessment and make provision for the needs of travelling showpeople. The East of England Regional Assembly’s consultation document on Gypsy and Traveller sites asks whether sites for travelling showpeople should be included in forthcoming regional guidance. We have responded by stating that it is inappropriate to make any decisions on travelling showpeople until national guidance has been published.
10.62 Our sustainability appraisal finds that the provision of Gypsy and Traveller and Travelling Showpeople sites achieves the same sustainability objectives as the provision of “bricks and mortar” homes. Relevant forthcoming DPDs and AAPs should take account of regional guidance. Sustainability appraisals will be particularly pertinent at this stage.
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[CS7] GYPSIES and TRAVELLERS and TRAVELLING SHOWPEOPLE
Our preferred option is to respond to the East of England Plan consultation process by welcoming efforts to address the needs of Gypsies and Travellers and asserting that provision should be based on the most appropriate and sustainable sites. We will make provision for Gypsy and Traveller pitches in forthcoming DPDs and AAPs if such a need is identified.
Our preferred option is to wait until national and regional guidance is published before making any decisions about Travelling Showpeople sites. We will make provision for Travelling Showpeople sites in forthcoming DPDs and AAPs if such a need is identified.
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Employment areas
11.1 Employment areas are areas designated for “B” uses such as offices, research and development, industry and warehousing. The chapter also refers to offices in and around the town centre and Old Town. Retail, public and leisure uses are considered in the Town Centre and Retail chapter.
11.2 In 2001 there were about 46,000 jobs in Stevenage. It is expected that employment areas will accommodate at least half of future job growth.
11.3 Our current “B” use portfolio comprises:
Floorspace Site (sq.m.) Employees Land uses One-third offices with a fair proportion of Gunnels Wood 705,000 18,800 research and development and warehousing plus some other uses such as car showrooms
Mostly light industry, warehousing and Pin Green 199,000 5,000 distribution with some office uses Offices built above shops and around the Town centre 129,000 5,700 edge of the town Offices built above shops and around the Old Town 28,000 1,200 edge of the Old Town
This is complemented by offices in Chells Enterprise Centre, neighbourhood centres and other places.
There are also local plan allocations and outstanding planning permissions for about 80,000 sq.m. that could provide 3,600 new jobs. Stevenage West development will provide 5.5 hectares of employment land including a business technology centre for start-up units.
11.4 The original masterplan for Stevenage designated Gunnels Wood employment area to the west of the town away from residential neighbourhoods. A second employment area was designated at Pin Green in the 1960s in response to population growth and to counteract the flow of workers to Gunnels Wood. Car ownership reduced self-containment as people commuted to jobs outside Stevenage. Fortunately the town’s success meant that it was an employment destination in its own right capable of attracting about 6,000 workers.
11.5 The Cold War marked a period of prosperity as defence industries located in the town. This was complemented by the arrival of GlaxoSmithKline in the late 1980s. The 1990s however witnessed a decline in traditional manufacturing industries. Since then economic growth has
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been steady but consistently below the county and regional average. Our employment studies reveal that there are more sectors in decline than in growth. Pessimistic projections suggest that even the strongest sectors will only experience limited growth.
11.6 A key purpose of the planning system is to decide what should happen to existing employment areas, whether to release areas for other uses or whether to identify new areas. At present about 50% of the jobs in Stevenage are in employment areas. A further 15% are in offices in and around the town centre and Old Town. This means that employment areas can be expected to provide about half of the jobs needed to meet our jobs target.
11.7 One of the main problems in Stevenage is the over representation of large companies engaged in advanced manufacturing. The top three – GlaxoSmithKline, EADS Astrium and MBDA – together employ 4,600 people. The loss of such companies could seriously affect the local economy. This sits within a context of limited entrepreneurial activity, a lack of profitable small and medium enterprises, a low skilled workforce and a poor office market in the town centre.
11.8 There are two main drivers of change. The first is the regional economic strategy which identifies Stevenage as an economic focal point between London and Cambridge. It supports key economic activities such as biotechnology and research and development and an adequate supply of high quality business land and premises. The second is the emerging East of England Plan which supports improvements to existing employment areas, new strategic employment sites and new economic activities.
Existing employment areas
11.9 The two existing employment areas in Stevenage at Gunnels Wood and Pin Green together provide about 24,000 jobs. Gunnels Wood is in a prime location between the A1(M) and East Coast Main Line. This separates it from residential areas but allows vehicle, pedestrian and cycle access. Pin Green is less accessible by road as vehicles must pass through residential areas to reach it.
11.10 Our employment land survey describes both areas as poor quality environments that lack modern premises, readily available sites and communal services sought by potential occupiers. Neither has a coherent image or any landmark buildings. As a result they
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struggle to compete with business parks elsewhere in the region. This may ultimately drive away existing businesses and deter investment.
Gunnels Wood and Pin Green employment areas
11.11 The office market in and around the town centre and Old Town provides a further 7,000 jobs. Our employment land survey describes this market as lacking in dynamism and secondary to other towns in Hertfordshire. Levels of take up are declining and vacancy rates are rising. Much of the stock in the town centre is becoming obsolete.
11.12 The main driver of change is the emerging East of England Plan places emphasis on re modelling outworn areas and diversification to include advanced technologies, biotechnology and research and development.
11.13 In response to Question CS7) “What should happen to our existing areas of employment?” of the Core Strategy Key Issues and Alternative Options consultation document, the East of England Development Agency assert that the plan should aim to deliver the aspirations of the regional economic strategy, particularly sub-regional policies to achieve a closer match between labour supply and demand through affordable housing, education and training, develop Stevenage as a focal point for key economic activities between London and Cambridge, deliver an urban renaissance and ensure an adequate supply of employment land and premises.
11.14 Hertfordshire Chamber of Commerce and Industry and a number of other respondents support offices in the town centre to retain businesses and prosperity but recommend that office uses should continue in other commercial areas. The Highways Agency prioritise options to revitalise existing areas of employment and focus office activities in the town
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centre. Encouraging mixed use and reviewing employment land for alternative uses should not occur until an over-supply has been determined. Hertfordshire County Council support all options as they believe all areas can be linked by public transport.
11.15 Most private sector respondents favour a wider mix of uses in employment areas with some recommending that non B use classes should be acknowledged. Comments from individual members of the public express support for offices and other high density mixed uses in and around the town centre. Suggestions include restricting high density uses outside the core area and only allowing uses which generate heavy traffic in Gunnels Wood (thereby relieving routes serving Pin Green). Criticism is levelled at recent “placeless” developments which do not exhibit any Stevenage character.
11.16 Environmental bodies assert that environmental considerations and constraints must be taken into account and that biodiversity and geodiversity should be conserved and protected. English Nature criticise the sustainability appraisal for prioritising social and economic criteria over environmental criteria in relation to encouraging mixed use. They state that alternative land uses could produce significant environmental and sustainability benefits.
11.17 Of the 25 respondents who clearly select options, 19 support revitalising Gunnels Wood, 14 support enhancing the image of Pin Green, 12 support focussing office development in the town centre, 12 support encouraging mixed land uses and 10 support reviewing whether employment land could be redeveloped for alternative uses.
11.18 Our sustainability appraisal recognises the merits of all options. Revitalising existing employment areas would improve the built environment, encourage investment and enhance competitiveness. Office development in the town centre would be accessible by less polluting forms of transport. Mixed land uses go against the intentions of the original masterplan for Stevenage but facilities such as petrol stations and crèches could support the primary role of employment areas. Redevelopment for alternative uses may be appropriate in unsustainable locations but could reduce overall competitiveness within compensation employment land elsewhere.
11.19 To decide what should happen to employment areas the Government recommends undertaking a review of supply and demand issues. This helps to reveal whether more employment land is needed or whether land could be released for alternative uses.
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11.20 From a supply perspective our employment studies reveal that Stevenage offers a reasonably diverse mix of employment land but few opportunities for new or expanding businesses. There are few readily developable sites and brownfield sites come forward on an irregular and unpredictable basis. Low vacancy rates but declining stock condition suggests that businesses are happy to remain in Stevenage for the time being but not necessarily to upgrade their premises. There is a lack of modern offices in the town centre.
11.21 From a demand perspective the regional economic strategy and emerging East of England Plan indicate that new employment land should be provided. Local business partnerships criticise the lack of modern premises for small and medium enterprises. There is strong interest in new offices in Gunnels Wood from regional firms looking for large modern premises. The office market in the town centre will be greatly enhanced by the redevelopment scheme.
11.22 A central theme of our spatial vision is that regeneration and growth will result in benefits greater than the sum of their parts. New housing will attract skilled and key workers. New businesses will be attracted by the presence of a skilled workforce. This will help to kick start the local economy and raise wages. It seeks to generate a level of demand for employment land and premises which does not yet exist in Stevenage but which does exist in nearby towns. An employment land review for North Hertfordshire for example reveals a strong share of high technology and knowledge based companies and an almost entirely local office market. A similar study for Welwyn and Hatfield identifies a buoyant business sector and a large office market which caters for the “ripple” effect out of London. Such places are more likely to benefit from new commercial vibrancy than be affected by increased competition from Stevenage.
11.23 The balance between supply and demand shows that employment land should be retained. Because existing employment land is concentrated in two locations with few sites elsewhere most redevelopment opportunities are only suitable for other employment uses. Demand also suggests that the loss of existing employment land would have to be compensated for in the allocation of new sites. We need to retain existing employment areas to meet our job target and to allow for natural churn.
11.24 Our employment capacity study concludes that outstanding planning permissions and the redevelopment of low quality and low density sites in Gunnels Wood could yield about 3,500 jobs. It finds fewer opportunities in Pin Green and only identifies one site with redevelopment
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potential that has since gained planning permission for housing. Overall it discourages the proactive release of any existing employment areas for alternative uses.
11.25 We must be mindful however that Gunnels Wood already has a high density of 94 workers per hectare compared to other business parks (82 at Cambridge Science Park, 40 at Norwich Research Park and 37 at Granta Park in Cambridgeshire). This relates to the lack of open space and landscaping.
11.26 A key issue raised in our evidence studies and considered in both the Gunnels Wood and Town Centre Key Issues and Alternative Options consultation documents is the future role of land to the west of the rail station. Our Gunnels Wood masterplan study proposes a mixed use activity hub with higher rise buildings. The leisure park could be redesigned with multi storey parking to increase pedestrian access and provide a new gateway into Gunnels Wood. Our employment land review concludes that the area could accommodate new office development. There may also be an opportunity for new homes close to the town centre.
11.27 In response to our Site Specific Policies Key Issues and Alternative Options consultation document Daniel Rinsler, representing Morley Fund Management, indicate their willingness to redevelop the leisure park for mixed use development.
New employment sites
11.28 As we have seen Stevenage offers poor quality employment areas that lack modern premises or communal services. Our employment capacity study identifies opportunities for intensification but this is not enough to meet our job target or achieve self-containment.
11.29 The main drivers of change are the regional economic strategy and emerging East of England Plan which support new high quality strategic employment sites. A regional study19 envisages such sites as being readily serviceable and capable of accommodating at least one occupier requiring a 10 hectare plot.
11.30 In response to Question CS8) “Do we need new employment land?” of the Core Strategy Key Issues and Alternative Options consultation document, a number of respondents reserve judgement given the uncertainties over a job target for Stevenage. Hertfordshire Chamber of Commerce and Industry suggest that new strategic employment sites may be required if a
19 Strategic and sub-regional employment sites in the East of England undertaken by Chestertons in 2003 82 Stevenage LDF Core Strategy and Generic DC Policies
high job target is adopted. The Highways Agency state that they will wait until the Stevenage and North Hertfordshire Action Plan is prepared before commenting.
A readily serviceable new employment site
11.31 Hertfordshire County Council emphasise the Report of the Panel conclusions to retain and develop existing clusters, create new high quality sites, remodel outworn employment areas, encourage enterprise and regenerate the town centre. They prioritise improving existing employment areas before creating new sites. Along with North Hertfordshire District Council and the Hertfordshire Chamber of Commerce and Industry they refer to the need for more intelligence and a phased employment strategy.
11.32 Other respondents emphasise a focus on brownfield sites, although English Nature and Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust point out that flooding, water quality, habitats and biodiversity impacts are not necessarily lessened on such sites. The Wildlife Trust recommend wording to judge and assess all sites against environmental criteria. Two members of the public express support for a new site close to the A1(M) where traffic impacts will be reduced.
11.33 Of the 17 respondents who clearly selected an option, 9 support concentrating on brownfield land, 6 support one new strategic employment site and 2 support two new strategic employment sites.
11.34 In terms of new employment land our employment capacity study concludes that current market conditions and minimal net job gain limit the opportunity for offices to the west of the town centre. However improved market conditions and the relocation of existing occupiers could make such development viable in the future.
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11.35 The study also identifies four locations close to transport routes that are capable of accommodating a range of employment uses and a significant number of jobs. Our landscape sensitivity and capacity study confirms that some of these locations have low sensitivity and high capacity for employment development.
11.36 All four locations lie within the boundary of the Stevenage and North Hertfordshire Action Plan. A decision on the most appropriate locations for new employment land will therefore be taken through this document. This is not because we wish to delay making a decision but because our Core Strategy cannot make any decisions about land in North Hertfordshire.
11.37 Our desired search criteria are that new employment areas should be to the west and north of the existing urban area, close to the railway line in the first instance and close to A1(M) motorway junctions where this is not possible. They should be capable of accommodating at least one occupier requiring a 10 hectare plot. Based on our employment studies we would expect a 25 hectare employment area to accommodate about 3,000 jobs.
11.38 The planning application for Stevenage West states that the development will have a population of 11,500 of which 5,800 with be economically active and of which 700 will work on site and a further 3,200 in Stevenage. It anticipates that 370 will work in London.
[CS8] EMPLOYMENT AREAS
Our preferred option is to retain Gunnels Wood as our main employment area
and transform it into a high quality and attractive business destination through
the Gunnels Wood Area Action Plan. Our desired approach is for new
employment areas to be identified to the west and north of the existing urban
area through the Stevenage and North Hertfordshire Action Plan. These
should contribute to the job target for the wider Stevenage area.
11.39 Employment floorspace can be monitored using the new national planning application form which requires developers to state the existing and proposed floorspace of their development. The council will prepare an economic prospectus to attract new companies and encourage more inward investment.
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Town centre and shopping
12.1 Town centre and shopping refers to shops, public and leisure facilities in Stevenage and the jobs in these sectors. It includes the town centre, the Old Town, neighbourhood centres, retail parks, supermarkets and other free standing shops.
12.2 The original masterplan for Stevenage combined one of England’s first pedestrianised town centres with a network of neighbourhood centres for local day to day services. In the 1980s a change in Government policy allowed developers to build out of centre supermarkets and retail parks such as Roaring Meg. Government policy is now focused on town centres to reduce travelling distances and help promote an urban renaissance.
Stevenage town centre in the 1960s
12.3 Our current shopping and retail portfolio comprises:
Convenience Comparison floorspace (sq.m.) floorspace (sq.m.) Employees Town centre 14,800 39,900 5,500
Old Town 1,800 9,500 about 560
Retail parks 40,000 about 440
Neighbourhood centres 3,000
Supermarkets 10,500 about 550
Provision is split between convenience goods that people buy on a regular basis such as food and household goods and comparison goods that people buy less regularly and take more time choosing such as clothes, electrical equipment and furniture.
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12.4 These centres act like overlapping ripples on a pond. The average family for example may do their weekly shop at a supermarket, buy extra milk and newspapers at their neighbourhood centre, visit the town centre for clothes then have dinner in the Old Town on Saturdays and visit a retail park on Sundays for furniture and DIY goods.
Retail hierarchy
12.5 Government guidance20 requires councils to define a network and hierarchy of centres to ensure that provision is well distributed and that no one centre is dominant. It expects local policies to enhance the vitality and viability of centres, ensure shoppers have a choice of destinations and improve accessibility. Our preferred hierarchy is set out below.
Stevenage town centre
12.6 The first main shopping problem facing Stevenage is the role of the town centre. The construction of the pedestrianised town centre began in 1948 for shops, entertainment and community facilities surrounded by a ring road, car parks and service areas. By the mid 1960s about half the people visiting the centre lived outside Stevenage. It was a truly sub regional centre that upheld the original vision to be a hub of activity during the day and an amusement area in the evenings. When it was completed it received an award for being one of the most successful town centres in Europe.
12.7 It is unlikely that a similar award would be received today. The fabric of the town centre is dated and decaying. There is a limited range of shops and no department store. Rents are lower than nearby towns. The lack of homes and late night entertainment leaves the area dark and empty in the evenings. All this results in loss of spending as shoppers are attracted to places like Milton Keynes, London and Lakeside for a “day out” experience.
12.8 Our town centre assessment finds that there is a lack of shopping in the town centre and that small developments such as the Westgate Centre and Forum have failed to revive its success. It concludes that Stevenage’s location and a national increase in spending would support comprehensive redevelopment.
20 PPS6 Planning for town centres 86 Stevenage LDF Core Strategy and Generic DC Policies
12.9 The main drivers of change are national and regional policies. Government guidance21 states that planning should promote strong and energetic town centres to attract shoppers and businesses. Regeneration and growth is encouraged in deprived areas to offer more choice, better access and a pleasant environment.
The town centre is dated and decaying
12.10 The emerging East of England Plan supports a regenerated, expanded and more vital town centre. It classifies Stevenage as a “major town centre” and states that new shops are appropriate in response to housing, population and spending growth. This should be consistent with the town’s role in the regional structure. The regional economic strategy also seeks to strengthen the role of the town centre.
12.11 The other main driver of change is the town centre regeneration scheme being jointly prepared by the council and Stanhope/ING for 37,000 sq.m. of comparison and convenience floorspace, new homes and cultural facilities and a public transport interchange linked by better streets and public spaces. This will be the “jewel in the crown” of the town’s regeneration and growth agenda. It will yield about 1,850 jobs22.
12.12 The scheme addresses the current lack of shops in Stevenage but does not take account of planned growth or that spending on non-food items is expected to double. Our retail assessment predicts that an extra 37,000 sq.m. of comparison and 6,000 sq.m. of convenience floorspace will be needed once the Stanhope/ING scheme is complete. This would yield about 2,150 jobs23.
21 PPS6 Planning for Town Centres 22 Based on English Partnership’s ratio of 1 employee per 20 square metres 23 Based on English Partnership’s ratio of 1 employee per 20 square metres 87 Stevenage LDF Core Strategy and Generic DC Policies
12.13 In response to Question CS10) “What type of town centre do we want for the benefit of the growing town?” of the Core Strategy Key Issues and Alternative Options consultation document, the majority of respondents support proposals to regenerate the town centre. They note its bland and faceless appearance, poor architecture and the negative impression this gives to visitors. Redevelopment will increase self-containment, retain its role as a sub regional centre, act as an economic focus and encourage inward investment.
12.14 Some respondents note the merits of expansion into a highly sustainable location to the west of the railway station. This should incorporate high density homes, leisure and other trip generating uses through a masterplan process. This would also benefit Gunnels Wood. RPS, representing Stevenage Regeneration Ltd, support expansion on the basis of significant need and its sustainable location.
12.15 Hertfordshire County Council note that the town centre is dominated by fairly low grade shops and cannot sustain its vitality beyond daylight hours. This does little to promote a positive image. Improvements should focus on urban design and greater mix of uses, especially homes. They suggest that further research is needed to justify expansion and promote a scheme to regenerate the existing town centre, monitor its success and changes in other lifestyle choices and only then consider expansion in future plans. DPP, representing Tescos, suggest that redevelopment should integrate their client’s store to provide additional floorspace and create links with the Old Town.
12.16 Many respondents think that the town square, clock tower, Joyride statue and Co-op mural should be protected. English Heritage recommend an extension to the conservation area. Others consider that further designations could hinder regeneration proposals. Hertfordshire County Council suggest a likely compromise. RPS, representing Stevenage Regeneration Limited, reject conservation area status as the town centre is not unique and has been diluted by infilling.
12.17 Other suggestions include a flagship department store, a greater mix of uses including shops, flats and offices, making better use of space above street level, a live music venue, a new museum and other cultural facilities. High environmental standards, sustainable drainage and biodiversity such as bird boxes and green roofs should be key features.
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12.18 Of the 25 respondents who clearly select an option, none support preserving the whole town centre, 4 support preserving part of the town centre, 9 support redevelopment and 12 support redevelopment and expansion.
12.19 Our retail study rejects the option to expand the town centre westwards over the railway line as the site is divorced from the existing town centre with poor pedestrian links. The consultants recommend redevelopment within the ring road to prevent the decline of peripheral areas and to strengthen the role of the town centre.
12.20 Our sustainability appraisal rejects an option to designate the whole town centre as a conservation area as this would fail to ensure for the needs of the existing and growing population. It would also limit investment and business competitiveness. It identifies merits in preserving some of the town centre that would not conflict with economic objectives whereas options to redevelop or to redevelop and expand the town centre could result in the loss of historic and cultural buildings. Extending the town centre would require existing uses in the leisure park and Gunnels Wood to be relocated.
Old Town High Street
12.21 The Old Town High Street is the shopping area for the original settlement of Stevenage. These days it contains about 10% of the town’s convenience and comparison floorspace. It is classified as a “district centre” in our hierarchy as it offers a range of shops, a supermarket plus banks, pubs and restaurants.
Old Town High Street
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14.1 It is a popular area that many residents feel is under threat. Many banks and shops have been converted into pubs and restaurants. There is a strong desire to do more to protect and preserve the market town atmosphere of the High Street.
12.22 Our transport and utilities study identifies poor cycle and pedestrian links between the town centre and the Old Town. This discourage shoppers from visiting both centres on the same trip. English Heritage express a desire to see the two centres linked by better cycle and pedestrian routes. This is an issue that can be addressed in both the Town Centre and Old Town Area Action Plans.
12.23 Our sustainability appraisal finds it appropriate to include the Old Town High Street in the retail hierarchy. It is a vibrant area that provides shops and other services to the local and wider community.
Existing neighbourhood centres
12.24 The original masterplan sought to provide neighbourhood centres within half of mile of every home. Over the last 60 years however influences such as car ownership, fridge freezers and supermarkets have resulted in the loss of convenience shops such as butchers and bakeries.
12.25 Neighbourhood centres are classified as “local centres” in our hierarchy as they offer local day to day shops such as newsagents, post offices, chemists, hairdressers, off licences and take aways. Some centres contain other services like estate agents and solicitors. Larger centres also contain pubs and health care facilities and are a focus for bus services. They are a vital resource for many residents particularly those without a car.
12.26 A report24 by the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment (known as CABE) observes that neighbourhood facilities help create a sense of community.
24 What Home Buyers Want (2005) 90 Stevenage LDF Core Strategy and Generic DC Policies
Neighbourhood centres offer day to day facilities
12.27 Unfortunately there are many problems facing neighbourhood centres. Their buildings are tired and need replacing. The inward design of some centres encourages anti-social behaviour and fear of crime which deters visitors. Shop units are often too small for larger shops such as mini markets. Many out of town supermarkets provide free bus services which attract residents who would otherwise visit their local neighbourhood centre.
12.28 Our draft neighbourhood centres study reveals that the existing network of 10 large and 12 small centres continue to provide shops within walking distance of most homes. The final version of the study will make recommendations for the future of neighbourhood centres. This will be available to inform our Submission document and forthcoming DPDs and AAPs.
12.29 In response to Question CS15) “What is the future of neighbourhood centres?” of the Core Strategy Key Issues and Alternative Options consultation document, our Estates Team provide a detailed response. They maintain a portfolio of 17 neighbourhood centres comprising 174 shops, 22 workshops and 12 pubs. In recent years there has been a trend towards more interest from specialist uses and take aways. Specialist shops however are seen to complement and supplement basic traders. This option is therefore not regarded as commercially sustainable. Neither is doing nothing considered appropriate given the bleak future of anchor stores struggling to survive and the knock-on effect for smaller traders. They favour consolidation and redevelopment especially where the close proximity of larger and smaller centres results in overlaps of trade and custom. Large centres could be partially redeveloped to strengthen the remaining shops or smaller centres lost altogether. They assert that emphasis should remain on general shopping facilities given the continued demand from residents, the low number of void units and the healthy income that neighbourhood centres generate.
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12.30 Many respondents support the retention of centres but suggest that they would benefit from environmental enhancements. The Hertfordshire Chamber of Commerce and Industry assert that they should provide services not provided by supermarkets. Responses from DPP, representing Tescos, and Indigo, representing Sainsbury’s, promote their respective supermarkets at Broadwater and Coreys Mill as appropriate for neighbourhood centre status.
12.31 Hertfordshire County Council support all the do something options but suggest a study is needed to better understand their function and character. This is supported by Peacock and Smith, representing Morrisons, and should take account of urban extensions. The Highways Agency note that neighbourhood centres continue to assist in reducing the need to travel. Suggestions for future uses include some specialisms, start-up business premises and community facilities.
12.32 Of the 16 respondents who clearly select an option, 1 supports doing nothing, 4 support consolidating and redeveloping existing centres, 9 support redefining centres and 2 support developing specialist centres.
12.33 Our sustainability appraisal finds that doing nothing would not address anti-social behaviour and fear of crime, would encourage longer journeys and would lead to a decline in the built environment. This is the least sustainable option. Consolidation and redevelopment would encourage existing businesses and attract new businesses. Residents may lose some of their existing neighbourhood centre. Redefining centres would provide new shopping opportunities and attract new shoppers. Specialist uses could do likewise but may encourage longer journeys depending on the type and distribution of specialisms. Redefining supermarkets as neighbourhood centres would be inappropriate as there are distinct differences between the two. Supermarkets do not provide a full range of services and could not be re-let in the same way as a neighbourhood centre unit.
New neighbourhood centres
12.34 Our Core Strategy Key Issues and Alternative Options consultation document also asks about the role of new neighbourhood centres. In response to Question CS16) “What facilities should be provided in new neighbourhoods?” most respondents support the provision of a wide range of facilities. This will ensure communities are as self sustaining as possible and reduce the need to travel. Charles Planning Associates, representing Croudace, assert that some facilities may need to be determined on a site by site basis if they do not achieve
92 Stevenage LDF Core Strategy and Generic DC Policies
critical mass. Hertfordshire County Council consider that more detailed assessments are necessary and both they and North Hertfordshire District Council refer to the role of the Stevenage and North Hertfordshire Action Plan.
12.35 Of the 23 respondents who clearly select options, 17 support food shops, 16 support service and amenity shops, 10 support restaurants and take aways, 11 support start-up business premises, 5 support offices, 15 support primary schools, 10 support secondary schools, 9 support places of worship, 17 support health services, 16 support community centres, 18 support bus services, 15 support cycle and pedestrian networks, 18 support open spaces and play areas, 9 support pubs and 13 support crèches and childcare facilities. Other facilities mentioned include sports and recreation facilities, biodiversity enhancements, multi functional green space, wildlife corridors and a rapid public transport monorail system.
12.36 Our sustainability appraisal concludes that all options have sustainability benefits. It is not possible however to rate any one type of facility as more or less sustainable than any other.
12.37 It is likely that most new neighbourhood centres will be located in new neighbourhoods to the west and north of the existing urban area. A decision on the most appropriate locations will therefore be taken through the Stevenage and North Hertfordshire Action Plan. This is not because we wish to delay making a decision but because our Core Strategy cannot make any decisions about land in North Hertfordshire.
Retail parks, supermarkets and freestanding shops
12.38 A further main issue relates to the role of retail parks, supermarkets and freestanding shops. About 45% of the town’s comparison floorspace is located in Roaring Meg and other retail parks. These are large format stores selling furniture, DIY, electrical and other goods that may not be appropriate in the town centre. At present people spend more money in these retail parks than in the town centre.
12.39 Retail parks were built in the 1980s and 1990s when Government policy allowed developers to build in out of centre locations. The focus has now switched back to town centres to reduce travelling distances. Government guidance25 now expects developers to demonstrate a need for their proposal and justify that there are no available sites in or near the town centre before they can build in out of centre locations. Unlike many towns most retail parks
25 PPS6 Planning for town centres 93 Stevenage LDF Core Strategy and Generic DC Policies
in Stevenage are quite close to the town centre. This allows shoppers to make “linked trips” which reduces travelling distances.
12.40 Our retail assessment projects that spending on bulky goods will double by the 2020s. The study concludes that it would be bad practice to allocate new retail parks however as this contradicts national guidance. It recommends that developers should justify their proposal in terms of need, impact and the availability of sustainable and accessible sites.
12.41 Supermarkets outside the town centre provide 35% of the town’s convenience floorspace. There are calls for some supermarkets to be designated as neighbourhood centres. Our sustainability appraisal finds no merit in this option. Supermarkets do not provide a full range of community services such as post offices and hairdressers and could not be re-let to an alternative occupier in the same way as a neighbourhood centre unit. Redefining their status would undermine the role of neighbourhood centres.
12.42 Stevenage also has a number of freestanding shops such as newsagents and petrol station shops. Our Gunnels Wood Key Issues and Alternative Options consultation document reveals that a number of respondents support a petrol station and other shops to serve employment areas. The need for freestanding shops will be addressed in forthcoming DPDs and AAPs.
[CS9] TOWN CENTRE and SHOPPING
Our preferred option is to retain the broad network and hierarchy of shopping
and retail provision in Stevenage. In line with Government guidance:
Stevenage town centre will be a “town centre”. Our preferred option is
to regenerate the town centre to establish Stevenage as a major town
centre in the regional structure. This will provide new shops, jobs, homes
and social facilities alongside a high quality environment to meet the needs
of the existing and growing population. This will be taken forward
through the Town Centre Area Action Plan.
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The Old Town High Street will be a “district centre”. Our preferred
option is to develop the Old Town High Street as a vibrant centre that
complements the town centre by providing a range of shops, social
facilities, businesses and homes. This will be taken forward through the
Old Town Area Action Plan.
Neighbourhood centres will be “local centres”. Our preferred option is to
regenerate existing neighbourhood centres to provide a network of day to
day shops alongside businesses, social facilities and homes. This will be
taken forward through relevant DPDs and AAPs. Our desired approach is
to provide new neighbourhood centres that provide local shops and social
facilities for new neighbourhoods. This will be taken forward through the
Stevenage and North Hertfordshire Action Plan.
We will retain the broad network and distribution of retail parks,
supermarkets and freestanding shops.
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The natural environment
13.2 The natural environment refers to all areas of open space in Stevenage including parkland, woodland, green spaces, playing fields and gardens. Together such spaces cover 25% of the existing urban area. It also refers to the Green Belt around Stevenage which prevents sprawl and maintains the openness of surrounding countryside.
Open space covers quarter of the existing urban area
13.3 Natural environment also refers to elements of the environment that are important for wildlife such as trees, lakes and ponds as well as urban environments such as waste land, road verges and roofs. The presence of wildlife is a sign of a healthy and functioning ecosystem.
13.4 The natural environment is important for all sorts of reasons: it provides habitats for wildlife, creates a pleasant environment, offers recreation opportunities and absorbs greenhouse gases.
13.5 The original masterplan for Stevenage set a standard of 8.5 hectares of open space per 1,000 residents. It sought to provide a continuous system of woodlands and open space so that it would be possible to walk from one part of the town to another without using any roads. This included protecting ancient lanes which linked the original town with surrounding hamlets. Woodlands helped to soften and screen the visual impact of development and shelter buildings from prevailing winds.
13.6 The main problem relates to the provision of at least 6,400 new homes in Stevenage that will place development pressure on open spaces within the town and green field sites around the edge of the town. A growing population will also create a demand for new open spaces. It is important that we get the right balance between these two pressures.
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13.7 The main drivers of change are national and regional guidance which seek to protect and enhance the natural environment for its biodiversity value. Emphasis is also placed on open spaces for their health and recreation value. Our sustainable community strategy seeks to create cleaner and greener communities.
13.8 In response to Question CS17) “How can we protect existing heritage and deliver regeneration and growth?” of the Core Strategy Key Issues and Alternative Options consultation document, the majority of respondents support taking a balanced approach.
13.9 Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust describe options that prioritise the natural environment over new development as cosmetic. They, along with other environmental bodies, assert that efforts should be directed towards preserving and enhancing environmental assets. Policies should accord with national and regional objectives. A plethora of best practice guidance is referred to that can assist in policy preparation.
13.10 The Environment Agency emphasise a sequence approach which seeks firstly to retain, enhance and create, secondly to mitigate and thirdly to compensate. They also believe that the natural environment should be considered as a separate issue. English Nature promote a “win win win” situation which respects social, economic and environmental factors. English Heritage suggest that landscape character should be re-assessed and combined with work undertaken in relation to Stevenage West. The Countryside Agency support urban concentration of development provided that sites respect local character, biodiversity and green spaces and are assessed in a sensitive and logical manner.
13.11 More general suggestions include creating links to surrounding countryside and developing a literary association with E. M. Forster. More effort should be made to define the town’s desirable characteristics and a list of environmental objectives should be established.
13.12 Of the 23 respondents who clearly select an option, 2 support giving absolute priority to the environment, 4 support only limited provision for new development, 13 support a balanced approach, 3 support giving priority for new development and 1 supports giving absolute priority to new development.
13.13 A report26 by Sheffield university has found that trees, ponds and other features in private gardens often support more wildlife than agricultural fields.
26 Urban domestic gardens 97 Stevenage LDF Core Strategy and Generic DC Policies
13.14 Our sustainability appraisal concludes that a balanced approach strikes the right balance between preservation and development. Other options would prioritise economic gains at the expense of the local environment or environmental gains at the expense of the local economy. This is made clear by consultation responses. Mitigation measures may be necessary at the site specific level to achieve an appropriate balance between preservation and development.
[CS10] NATURAL ENVIRONMENT
Our preferred option is to protect and enhance the natural environment.
Protect, enhance, restore and create habitats in the existing urban area
and new neighbourhoods
Create a network of safe and easily accessible open spaces
Protect, enhance and extend a network of Green Links within the town and
into new neighbourhoods and the surrounding countryside
Protect and enhance ancient lanes and hedgerows
Protect and enhance land to the north of Rooks Nest Farm as Forster
Country Park
Undertake a strategic review of the Green Belt to the west and north of
the existing urban area
Open spaces
13.15 The original masterplan for Stevenage set a standard of 8.5 hectares of open space per 1,000 residents. This was revised downwards in subsequent masterplans so that current provision equates to about 6.5 hectares per 1,000 residents.
13.16 Today Stevenage offers about 600 hectares of open space. This is well distributed throughout the town with few areas of deficit. It includes Fairlands Valley Park which stretches through the centre of the town and is frequently voted its best feature. It also
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includes parks and gardens, large areas of natural and semi-natural open space, amenity green space and allotments.
Stevenage offers about 600 hectares of open space
13.17 The main driver of change is the emerging East of England Plan which states that councils should identify, protect and create a network of multi functional green infrastructure for existing and new residents.
13.18 Our open space study assesses existing provision and future needs to propose quantity and accessibility standards. It finds that Stevenage offers a good mix and distribution of open spaces. There are opportunities to convert spaces from one use to another where local deficiencies exist.
13.19 It recommends maintaining the existing ratios of parks and gardens, natural and semi-natural open space, amenity green space and outdoor sports facilities space. This reflects consultation comments that existing provision is “about right” and generally matches national standards. Emphasis should be placed on addressing local deficiencies.
13.20 It recommends halving the number of play areas to reflect the council’s play strategy to improve management and maintenance. It also finds that most allotments are underused, poorly maintained and vandalised. Reduced provision will dispose of vacant sites and enable provision in areas of higher demand.
13.21 The recommended quantity and accessibility standards are:
Parks and gardens – 0.73 hectares per 1,000 residents and within 800 metres or a 10 minute walk of all homes
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Natural and semi-natural open space – 1.78 hectares per 1,000 residents and within 400 metres or 5 minute walk of all homes
Amenity green space – 1.1 hectares per 1,000 residents and within 400 metres or 5 minute walk of all homes
Play areas for children and young people – 0.8 play areas per 1,000 residents and within 400 metres or 5 minute walk of all homes
Outdoor sports facilities, including football and rugby pitches, synthetic pitches and bowls greens but excluding golf courses – 2.2 hectares per 1,000 residents and within 10 minute drive of all homes
Tennis courts – within 10 minute walk of all homes
Allotments – 0.09 hectares per 1,000 residents and within 15 minute walk of all homes
Further cemetery space is needed after 2018
13.22 The study recommends open space standards per 1,000 residents. At present the average number of residents per home in Stevenage is 2.4 (ranging from 2.6 in houses to 1.4 in flats). This is expected to decline as more people choose to live on their own. Our sustainability appraisal suggests that it is appropriate to plan for open space provision based on a mid point between existing and future average household size. This will avoid a deficit if average household size increases in the future.
13.23 In response to Question CS24) “What open space, leisure and recreation facilities should we provide for the growing population?” of the Core Strategy Key Issues and Alternative Options consultation document, respondents who clearly selected open space options voted urban parks and natural and semi-natural open space in the top 2 and allotments in the bottom 2. Of the respondents who clearly selected leisure opportunities, equipped play areas were most frequently rated in the top 2 and bowling greens were most frequently rated in the bottom 2.
13.24 Green cemeteries are an increasingly popular option where graves are marked by a tree rather than a headstone. This makes them appropriate land uses in the Green Belt where openness can be maintained. They require more space that traditional cemeteries as trees need room to grow.
13.25 In response to Question CS25) “What type of cemetery does Stevenage need?” of the Core Strategy Key Issues and Alternative Options consultation document, Hertfordshire County
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Council consider that green cemeteries should be provided alongside traditional cemeteries. They consider that provision should be considered on a sub-regional basis. The Environment Agency refer to ensuring that there is no risk to controlled waters.
13.26 Of the 13 respondents who clearly select an option, none support making no extra provision, 5 support traditional cemeteries and 8 support green cemeteries.
13.27 Our sustainability appraisal suggests that the retention of existing open space is appropriate. Our household survey27 reveals that 81% of residents are satisfied with the provision of parks and open spaces. Only 10% express any negative views.
[CS11] OPEN SPACES
Our preferred option is to provide open spaces across the borough based on the
quantity and accessibility standards recommended in our open space study.
Provision will take account of identified deficits and surpluses. Our desired
approach is to apply the same standards in new neighbourhoods covered by the
Stevenage and North Hertfordshire Action Plan.
13.28 The provision and maintenance of open spaces can be implemented through our open space strategy.
Green Links
13.29 The original masterplan for Stevenage sought to provide a continuous system of open spaces so that it would be possible to walk from one part of the town to another without using any roads. Over the past 60 years these routes have been protected by designating Green Links made up of open spaces, woodlands, water features, school playing fields and domestic gardens.
13.30 Their primary purpose is to provide visual and wildlife corridors. Their most important asset is that they remain unbroken.
27 Best Value General Survey 101 Stevenage LDF Core Strategy and Generic DC Policies
Green links provide visual and wildlife corridors
13.31 The main problem is that school playing fields and other private spaces mean it is not always possible to access or walk along all parts of existing Green Links. The other problem is that the provision of at least 6,400 new homes in Stevenage could place development pressure on open spaces that form part of a Green Link. This could interrupt or close off routes to people and wildlife.
13.32 The main driver of change is national and regional guidance which seeks to provide routes or “stepping stones” for the movement of wildlife.
13.33 Responses to the Green Link question in our Site Specific Policies Key Issues and Alternative Options consultation document suggest that Green Links are appropriate and should remain. New Green Links should be defined. The Countryside Agency and English Nature stress the importance of maintaining networks of green space. The Environment Agency state that measures should be in place to mitigate against any loss of Green Links. Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust wish to see Green Links given greater protection and would like to see a policy for the creation of new Green Links. North Hertfordshire and Stevenage Primary Care Trust highlight the health benefits of such spaces. Hertfordshire County Council suggest that there is the potential to provide links between the existing urban area and new neighbourhoods.
13.34 Our sustainability appraisal finds that Green Links would have positive impacts on biodiversity, sustainable modes of transport, climate change and town character. The potential fear of crime could be mitigated by making sure that walking and cycling routes are overlooked and well lit.
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[CS12] GREEN LINKS
Our preferred option is to protect, enhance and extend a network of Green
Links to connect the existing town, new neighbourhoods and the surrounding
countryside. Green Links will be identified on the proposals map.
13.35 Green Links can be monitored by identifying how much open space forms part of a Green Link.
Forster Country Park
13.36 In response to the Green Link question in our Site Specific Policies Key Issues and Alternative Options consultation document the Friends of Forster Country request that the Green Link from the Old Town along The Avenue should be extended to join up with open space to the north of Stevenage known as Forster Country.
13.37 After receiving these comments we met with representatives of the group who explained that E. M. Forster was a writer who spent his childhood between 1883 to 1893 living at Rooks Nest Farm in Stevenage. It was this house and the surrounding countryside that inspired the estate in his novel Howard’s End.
13.38 The designation of Forster Country Park would extend the network of open space in Stevenage into new neighbourhoods and the surrounding countryside. It would provide parkland for wildlife and residents who are not particularly well served by Fairlands Valley Park.
13.39 The area under consideration lies within the boundary of the Stevenage and North Hertfordshire Action Plan. A decision on the future of Forster Country Park will therefore be taken through this document. This is not because we wish to delay making a decision but because our Core Strategy cannot make any decisions about land in North Hertfordshire.
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[CS13] FORSTER COUNTRY PARK
Our desired approach is to protect and enhance land to the north of Rooks
Nest Farm as Forster Country Park through the Stevenage and North
Hertfordshire Action Plan.
Green Belt
13.40 Green Belts are one of the UK’s best known and long lasting planning policies. A Green Belt was first proposed around London in the 1930s but it was not until 1947 that councils were allowed to designate Green Belts in their areas.
13.41 Government guidance28 states that Green Belts have five purposes: to prevent urban sprawl, prevent towns from merging with one another, safeguard the countryside from development, preserve historic towns and encourage urban renaissance. Most forms of development are prevented unless very special circumstances can be demonstrated. Green Belts are not designated to protect high quality countryside however: landscape quality is not relevant in designating or preserving the Green Belt.
13.42 The main problem relates to the provision of new homes and employment. Stevenage is tightly constrained by the Green Belt and this limits opportunities for growth.
13.43 The main driver of change is the emerging East of England Plan which provides scope for a strategic Green Belt review to release sufficient land to avoid a further review before 2031 and create defensible long term boundaries. This should be based on the same rate of growth as currently proposed: 8,000 new homes in the period 2021 to 2031. The plan expects compensatory Green Belt land to be allocated elsewhere.
13.44 Amendments to the Green Belt are a controversial issue. Our strategic housing trajectory shows that we will make every effort to build new homes in the existing urban area. This will reduce the amount of Green Belt land that is needed but it will not completely avoid it. This is partly a consequence of people’s desire to live on their own.
28 PPG2 Green Belts 104 Stevenage LDF Core Strategy and Generic DC Policies
13.45 A decision on the most appropriate Green Belt boundaries to the west and north of the existing urban area will be taken through the Stevenage and North Hertfordshire Action Plan. This is not because we wish to delay making a decision but because our Core Strategy cannot make any decisions about land in North Hertfordshire. Our desired search criteria are that new boundaries should follow natural or man-made features such as roads, streams or hedgerows.
13.46 Our sustainability appraisal shows that Green Belt reviews do not directly impact on sustainability objectives. Rather it is the implication that such land will be developed for other uses. At the wider level it is important to point out that the need for more homes is fuelled by the number of people wanting to live on their own. Alternatives to this would have to focus on encouraging or forcing people to live together in larger groups. This would be just as controversial as Green Belt reviews.
[CS14] GREEN BELT REVIEW
Our preferred option is to undertake a strategic review of the Green Belt to
the west and north of the existing urban area through the Stevenage and
North Hertfordshire Action Plan and to identify amendments to the Green Belt
elsewhere in Stevenage through relevant DPDs and AAPs.
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The built environment
14.1 The built environment refers to all buildings and urban spaces in Stevenage. This includes homes, offices, factories, shops and schools as well as roads, pavements, car parks and public spaces. It also includes buildings and remains protected for their historic, architectural or design merits.
14.2 A key purpose of the planning system is to control the appearance of the built environment and how people interact with it. Government guidance29 seeks to create attractive and long lasting places that respect the existing environment. High quality development should be based on urban design principles.
Old Town, New Town and modern architecture
14.3 Stevenage currently offers an assortment of Old Town, New Town and modern architecture. This makes it difficult to establish a common trend. This assortment of styles is revealed in a historic character study30 that splits Stevenage into zones based on their main characteristics. Examples include medieval areas, mixed 19th and 20th century housing areas, New Town neighbourhoods and late 20th century housing estates.
14.4 One of the main built environment problems is the relationship between old and new. Before the designation of the New Town in 1946 the area contained Stevenage village – now called the Old Town – and hamlets such as Chells, Shephall and Symonds Green.
14.5 The other main problem is that most New Town buildings were designed and built in a single generation. They reflect the architecture and construction methods of the time. This is particularly true of the town centre, neighbourhood centres and schools that were built in the
29 PPS1 Delivering Sustainable Development 30 Hertfordshire County Council, 2005 106 Stevenage LDF Core Strategy and Generic DC Policies
1950s and 1960s when materials such as concrete were new and exciting. Many buildings are now looking tired and need replacing.
Symonds Green: Concrete was new and exciting even for public art
14.6 There are only a few New Town buildings of architectural merit. This is because emphasis was placed on the design of the New Town as a whole rather than individual buildings. The only listed New Town buildings are the Town Square clock tower and the John Lewis depot on Gunnels Wood Road. Modern buildings generally do not have listed building status. There are however some good examples of modern architecture in Stevenage such as North Hertfordshire college and the Icon building on Lytton Way.
14.7 Consultation undertaken to inform the Stevenage West development found that people prefer Old Town design styles to those of the New Town. The planning application therefore sought to incorporate Old Town design styles and materials into New Town style neighbourhoods linked by cycle and pedestrian routes.
14.8 In response to Question CS17) “How can we protect existing heritage and deliver regeneration and growth? of the Core Strategy Key Issues and Alternative Options consultation document, the majority of respondents support taking a balanced approach. Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust describe options that prioritise the built and natural environment over new development as cosmetic. They, along with other environmental bodies, assert that efforts should be directed towards preserving and enhancing environmental assets. Policies should accord with national and regional objectives. A plethora of best practice guidance is referred to that can assist in policy preparation.
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14.9 The Environment Agency emphasise a sequence approach which seeks firstly to retain, enhance or create, secondly to mitigate and thirdly to compensate. They also believe that the built and natural environment should be considered as separate issues. English Nature promote a “win win win” situation which respects social, economic and environmental factors. English Heritage comment that the built environment can contribute to prosperity.
14.10 The Countryside Agency supports urban concentration provided sites respect local character, biodiversity and green spaces and are assessed in a sensitive and logical manner. More general suggestions include creating links to surrounding countryside and a literacy association with E. M. Forster. More efforts should be make to define the town’s desirable characteristics and a list of environmental objectives should be established. Respondents assert that New Town buildings represent an important step in the evolution of town planning and should be preserved for this reason. Others state that examples of such buildings can be found elsewhere: they are not unique to Stevenage and do not need to be preserved.
14.11 Of the 23 respondents who clearly select an option, 2 supports giving absolute priority to the environment, 4 support only limited provision for new development, 13 support a balanced approach, 3 support giving priority for new development and 1 supports giving absolute priority to new development.
A balanced approach between preservation and development
14.12 Our sustainability appraisal concludes that a balanced approach strikes the right balance between preservation and development. Other options would prioritise environmental gains at the expense of the local economy or economic gains at the expense of the local environment. This is made clear by consultation responses. Mitigation measures may be necessary at the site specific level to achieve an appropriate balance between preservation and development.
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[CS15] BUILT ENVIRONMENT
Our preferred option is to create attractive, enjoyable and distinctive places.
Visually attractive with high quality design and materials
Create a sense of place and positively contribute to the surroundings
Respect the scale, character and function of existing buildings
Protect the historic character of the original areas of the town
Protect the best examples of New Town architecture and design
Ensure efficient use of land
Design out crime
Provide high quality open spaces and public art
Demonstrate a design led approach to car parking and cycle storage
Safe and easily accessible by people of all ages and physical abilities
Well connected to roads, bus routes and the cycle and pedestrian network
Well connected to community facilities and open spaces
Further design guidance will be set out in a forthcoming Design Guide SPD.
14.13 Efforts to encourage high quality design will be aided by the Hertfordshire Building Futures guide that provides sustainable design advice to planners and developers. The guide covers air, design, energy, materials, noise, waste and water. We intend to use this information to inform our Design Guide supplementary planning document.
Old Town
14.14 The Old Town is the original settlement of Stevenage which prospered as a coaching post on the Great North Road and from the arrival of the railway in 1850. The original masterplan for Stevenage stated:
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“The High Street is of interest, possessing a charm of character which should not be destroyed. It is a spacious and pleasing example of good architectural layout and design.”
14.15 It is characterised by 2 and 3 storey Georgian buildings and a restrained palette of materials. Many buildings are protected by listed building status and in 1969 the High Street became one of first conservation areas in Hertfordshire. These designations have helped to preserve one of the most distinctive and historically valuable areas in Stevenage.
Old Town: pleasing architectural layout and design
14.16 The Old Town is a popular area that many residents feel is under threat from new development. In recent years banks and shops have been converted into pubs and restaurants, garages and back yards have been redeveloped and homes have been built on brownfield land in surrounding streets. Our development control team frequently get complaints about poor quality signage and shop fronts. There is a strong desire to do more to protect and preserve the market town atmosphere of the Old Town.
14.17 Our sustainability appraisal notes that the Old Town must remain vibrant in order to benefit from the wider regeneration and growth agenda. There is a danger that it will suffer a decline in activity and investment in competition with town centre regeneration. It therefore needs to retain a distinctive role in the future.
[CS16] OLD TOWN
Our preferred option is to develop the Old Town as a vibrant area that retains
its historic character and contributes to the town’s regeneration and growth.
This will be taken forward through the Old Town Area Action Plan.
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Social facilities
15.1 Social facilities refers to facilities for the education, health care, social and spiritual well being of the community. It includes schools and colleges, hospitals and health care centres, places of worship, community halls and leisure facilities such as sports halls and swimming pools.
Education
15.2 Education refers to all types of formal and informal education. It focuses on traditional places of learning such as schools and colleges but also considers alternative ways of learning such as night schools, summer schools, long distance learning and public workshops.
15.3 The original masterplan for Stevenage envisaged education as a way of bringing about a new society. The town was designed and built during a period of post war optimism shortly after the 1944 Education Act had introduced free education for all children. Two primary schools were built in each neighbourhood so that they were no further than half a mile walk from homes. Secondary schools were also built within walking distance of homes.
15.4 These aspirations have been achieved to some extent. Stevenage now offers 21 primary schools, 8 secondary schools, 3 special secondary schools and a further education campus. There are very few residents with no formal qualifications.
Stevenage further education campus
15.5 The main problems relate to qualifications and aspirations. Education is greatly under valued in Stevenage. Our education study reports that 16 primary schools fail to meet average regional standards and 6 secondary schools fail to achieve average Hertfordshire GCSE standards. Most students leave school at 16 due to a lack of aspirations. A Level
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performance is 16% adrift of the national average for those students who do stay on. This means that although few residents are unqualified even fewer have a degree qualification.
15.6 The current education rate compared to the rest of Hertfordshire is:
No qualifications GSCE, A Levels, NVQ Degree or higher Stevenage 27% 58% 15%
Rest of Hertfordshire 23% 53% 24% Source: 2001 Census
15.7 The other main problem relates to the age and condition of buildings. Most schools were built between 1950 and 1970 and are beginning to show their age. There are 31 mobile classrooms. Despite a good distribution throughout the town schools are under subscribed in the centre and south and over subscribed in the north east. The average class size is 27 pupils in primary schools and 20 pupils in secondary schools.
15.8 These education problems contribute to Stevenage’s deprivation problems. Businesses struggle to recruit highly skilled workers as few residents have the qualifications to occupy senior positions. This encourages in-commuting and limits entrepreneurial activity. Stevenage residents earn less per week than other Hertfordshire residents and this contributes to the number of low income households. The Strategic Health Authority believes that low education and aspirations have a key influence on sexual behaviour and pregnancy. Teenage pregnancy is closely related to people’s expectations of what will happen to them in their lives.
15.9 Improving education in Stevenage will help to strengthen the local economy and erode deprivation. It is a vital component of being a prosperous regional city. It will make the town a more attractive place to educate children.
15.10 Our education study finds that poor results at primary school have a knock on effect at secondary school and that low aspirations are passed from one generation to another. This means that parents who had few education aspirations themselves are unlikely to pass aspirations on to their children. It recommends that performance must be improved across the board to break established patterns. Students should be encouraged to stay on at school after 16 to study for A Levels or vocational qualifications. This will develop transferable skills that make them more employable.
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15.11 The study reveals that 1,000 new homes creates about 210 primary school and 180 secondary school pupils. Growth will therefore create a need for up to 4 new primary schools and 1 new secondary school in addition to 3 primary schools and 1 secondary school already planned as part of Stevenage West development.
15.12 The main driver of change is Government policy to transform education so that all young people can continue learning until they are at least 18. Our sustainable community strategy seeks to improve the employment prospects of the population in order to support and sustain local businesses. It recognises that a stronger economic future can be achieved by addressing the existing skills gap. As part of this agenda Hertfordshire County Council – who are the local education authority for Stevenage – have recently submitted an application to the Government for Building Schools for the Future funding.
15.13 They describe the bid as a once in a lifetime opportunity to transform the learning experience of children and young people in Stevenage. It acknowledges that existing schools are no longer suitable for 21st century education. It sets out a strategy to provide new high quality facilities and greater curriculum choice to attract young people into post 16 education. This involves demolishing and re-building fewer and larger secondary schools that meet the needs of the growing population. It also seeks to address the lack of education provision in the north by building a new secondary school in the Great Ashby area. We support the intentions of the bid. Our education study finds that there is a compelling case to regenerate schools throughout the town. It warns that just building some new schools will create property “hot spots”.
A once in a lifetime opportunity to transform education provision
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15.14 In response to Question CS5) “How can education provision be transformed?” of the Core Strategy Key Issues and Alternative Options consultation document, Hertfordshire County Council assert that they are the local education authority for Stevenage and are therefore best placed to determine the optimum level and pattern of school provision to meet the education needs of the town. They report that a formal review of secondary school education will begin in January 2007, that the Government’s national capital investment programme – Building Schools for the Future – will be a major factor in that review and that Stevenage is likely to be in financial period 2008 to 2011.
15.15 North Hertfordshire District Council state that they will support the outcome of the debate between the Borough Council and the County Council for education provision, including for urban extensions. The East of England Regional Assembly state that account should be taken of the education policies in the regional plan. Nathanial Lichfield, representing GlaxoSmithKline, support nurseries to enable mothers to return to work.
15.16 Other respondents suggest that children learn better in small schools with small classes where there is a lower teacher/pupil ratio and that consolidating schools with generate more traffic as children will stop walking and cycling. On respondent notes that the existing pattern of schools is part of the original self-containment philosophy. Recommendations include a post-graduate institute, better links between schools and industry, a greater role for sport and the potential for redundant schools sites to contribute to biodiversity targets.
15.17 Of the 21 respondents who clearly select options, 7 support more nurseries, 11 support retaining the existing pattern of smaller primary schools, 3 support fewer and larger primary schools, 8 support retaining the existing pattern of smaller secondary schools, 6 support fewer and larger secondary schools, 10 support more adult learning provision and 8 support a new sixth form college. Better education is identified as one of the top 3 options for improving quality of life.
15.18 Our sustainability appraisal finds that all options would provide education services. Hertfordshire County Council’s Building Schools for the Future bid will seek to create fewer and larger secondary schools. Our education study recommends that performance should be improved across the board to break established patterns. We therefore need to improve education at primary and nursery school level to improve standards, skills and aspirations. Methods that focus on parental involvement, teaching standards, etc will also be important.
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[CS17] EDUCATION
Our preferred option is to transform education provision in Stevenage. We will
work with Hertfordshire County Council and others to provide all types of
formal and informal education. This includes the Building Schools for the
Future programme. At present we do not know the precise spatial implications
of the bid but it is likely that we will need to identify sites for new schools in
forthcoming DPDs and AAPs.
15.19 Our successes in improving education qualifications and aspirations will be measured against national, regional and county averages. We want education standards in Stevenage to match and hopefully exceed the county average.
15.20 Education provision can be implemented by Hertfordshire County Council as the local education authority in partnership with land owners and the wider education industry.
Health care
15.21 Health care refers to hospitals, doctors’ surgeries and other forms of care that seek to prevent and cure ill health. Health is closely related to deprivation and lifestyle choices.
15.22 Stevenage was built to help people escape the slums of London and elsewhere. As the City of London had become more prosperous during the 19th century people moved to the suburbs with rich people to the west and poorer people to the east where jobs were available on the docks and warehouses. People supported themselves and their families on what they could earn in low paid and casual jobs, sought help from voluntary organisations or went without. Malnutrition, disease and illness were rife.
15.23 It was the blitz of London during the second world war that provided a solution to these problems. Satellite New Towns such as Stevenage offered a new way of life away from the dirt and pollution of the city. This was complemented by the beginning of the National Health Service (or NHS) which offered free health care for all.
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15.24 Stevenage’s masterplanners believed that a good environment would produce good social effects. Homes were warm and spacious with separate kitchens and bathrooms, running water and electricity. Residential and employment areas were separated to avoid pollution, neighbourhood centres offered health, community and religious facilities and open spaces were provided throughout. It was in complete contrast to the damp, cramped and dirty conditions that many residents had previously experienced.
Homes had separate kitchens with running water and electricity
15.25 Despite such efforts many Stevenage residents continue to experience health problems that are worse than county and national averages. The main problems include death from cancer is high for women and deaths related to smoking are high for both sexes. High rates of unprotected sex lead to infection and teenage pregnancy that is twice the Hertfordshire average. There are also a high number of still births and child deaths for mothers of all ages. One in five adults are obese and only one is six has a healthy diet. As a consequence life expectancy is lower than the Hertfordshire average.
15.26 A public health report31 identifies smoking as the single greatest cause of premature illness and early death. Smoking bans could drastically reduce these problems. The report expects an increase in conditions such as heart disease, diabetes and asthma. It warns that one third of men will be obese by 2010.
15.27 The other main problem is the potential downgrading of either Lister hospital in Stevenage or QEII hospital in Welwyn Garden City. Lister hospital currently provides accident and emergency, acute surgery, medical and maternity services for the town and surrounding areas. At the time of writing East and North Hertfordshire Primary Care Trust are consulting
31 East and North Hertfordshire Primary Care Trust (2007) 116 Stevenage LDF Core Strategy and Generic DC Policies
on their preferred option that Lister hospital should be the main site for acute services in the area and that QEII hospital should be downgraded. A final decision has yet to be made.
15.28 The main driver of change is the emerging East of England Plan which seeks to make provision for health care needs particularly in growth areas and areas of deprivation. Our sustainable community strategy seeks to improve access to health care and promote healthier lifestyles. It acknowledges that teenage pregnancy can be reduced by offering better access to contraceptive and sexual health advice and by motivating teenagers to pursue learning or a career rather than choose or accept early parenthood.
15.29 Our sustainable community strategy seeks to improve health, reduce health inequalities and ensure that everyone has access to health care. It wants children and young people to enjoy good health and live a healthy lifestyle.
15.30 The other main driver of change is East and North Hertfordshire Primary Care Trust. They decide what health services are needed in Stevenage, develop programmes to improve health care and deliver these services and programmes. Such services include hospital care, general practitioners, mental health, screenings, dentists, pharmacies and opticians.
15.31 In line with NHS guidance the Trust is seeking to consolidate existing health care provision. Doctors’ surgeries will be replaced by fewer and larger enhanced primary care centres (sometimes called super surgeries by the media) each capable of serving about 30,000 patients. These will be community based centres offering GP practices, minor operation units, some acute services, pharmacies and opticians. They will take a more proactive approach in targeting the causes of ill health in the local community.
15.32 In response to Question SP10) “Where would be suitable sites for enhanced primary care centres?” of the Site Specific Policies Key Issues and Alternative Options consultation document, respondents highlight the importance of a sequential approach to site selection and ensuring facilities are accessible. Hertfordshire County Council object to redundant school sites being used although they do not object to the co-location of such facilities.
15.33 At the time of writing the Trust have secured planning permission for a new centre on land in Pin Green employment area to serve existing residents in the north of the town. They have also secured a small site in the Stevenage West development although further provision may be needed to serve new neighbourhoods in the west and north. A new centre in the town
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centre is not considered necessary as existing surgeries are well established. Options in the south of the town are being debated with Hertfordshire County Council as part of the Building Schools for the Future programme.
15.34 Of the 21 respondents who clearly select an option, 11 support the redevelopment of brownfield sites, 8 support co-locating centres with existing uses and 5 support greenfield sites where necessary. Better health care is identified as one of the top 3 options for improving quality of life.
15.35 Our sustainability appraisal supports enhanced primary care centres as a way of improving health. This is in line with national guidance delivered through the National Health Services. Well located centres should encourage access by walking, cycling and buses.
[CS18] HEALTH CARE
Our preferred option is to transform health care in Stevenage. We will work
with East and North Hertfordshire Primary Care Trust and others to improve
all forms of health care provision. Where possible we will identify sites for
new enhanced primary care centres in forthcoming DPDs and AAPs. We will
seek to retain Lister hospital as the principal hospital in the area.
15.36 Our successes in improving health will be measured against national, regional and county averages. Our ultimate target is for health and health care standards in Stevenage to match the county average. Health care will be implemented by East and North Hertfordshire Primary Care Trust in partnership with the wider health care industry.
Community and leisure facilities
15.37 Community facilities refer to venues such as community centres, youth clubs, scout and guide halls, places of worship and pubs. Such facilities provide opportunities for residents to meet and share their interests. They are a vital resource for many residents particularly those without a car. They make a significant contribution to sustainable development and quality of life.
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15.38 Community facilities also refers to children’s centres. These are places where children and families can access education, health care and family support services. The Government wants councils to ensure that there is a children’s centre in every community by 2010.
Children’s centres will offer family support services
15.39 Leisure facilities refers to indoor and outdoor facilities such as sports halls, leisure centres, swimming pools, health and fitness centres and synthetic pitches.
15.40 The original masterplan for Stevenage supported the neighbourhood principle by locating community and leisure facilities in and around neighbourhood centres. Facilities were only a short walk from most homes.
15.41 In terms of community facilities, the main problem in many cases is their age and quality. Buildings are dated and decaying and do not meet modern standards. The declining popularity of some neighbourhood centres has also affected the popularity of community facilities. In extreme cases buildings must be protected by heavy doors and grilles over windows to prevent anti social behaviour. This makes them less attractive places to visit.
15.42 In response to Question CS24 “What open space, leisure and recreation facilities should we provide for the growing population?” of the Core Strategy Key Issues and Alternative Options consultation document, one respondent highlights a demand for places of worship for Jehovah’s Witnesses and other Christian groups. They suggest that such facilities are inappropriate for multiple use as requirements are tailored to specific religious groups. They also highlight the need to retain land for community and spiritual uses. Of the respondents who clearly select opportunities, community centres were most frequently rated in the top 2 and places of worship and art galleries were most frequently rated in the bottom 2.
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15.43 In terms of leisure facilities, a review of the original masterplan for Stevenage reveals how tastes have changed over the past 60 years. Residents have more time and money to spend on leisure activities than they did in the 1950s. Although traditional activities such as the theatre and cinema have remained popular the way they are provided has changed. Cinema provision for example has evolved from a small venue in the town centre to a multiplex on the leisure park. There is also far more demand for health and fitness gyms, sports hall for football and racket sports such as squash and badminton.
There is more demand for leisure facilities
15.44 Many leisure facilities in Stevenage are run by Stevenage Leisure Limited for the benefit of the community. Others are dual use facilities attached to schools. This means they can be used by different groups at different times of the day, week and year. This is an important concept that can increase the use of facilities. There are also a growing number of private facilities that can only be used by employees or members.
15.45 Government guidance32 requires councils to undertake an audit of existing facilities and an assessment to inform future policies and strategies. Our open space study reports that Stevenage currently offers a range of sports halls, swimming pools, gyms, tennis, squash and badminton courts, community centres, synthetic sports pitches and an athletics track.
15.46 The main problem relates to the growing population. This coupled with rising prosperity and more leisure time will increase the demand for leisure facilities. Our sustainable community strategy seeks to develop opportunities for sport, arts and leisure as a way of bring people of all ages and walks of life together.
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15.47 Our open space study finds that Stevenage needs more swimming pool space, more synthetic sports pitches in the north of the town and more badminton courts. It recommends that sports halls and community centres should host exercise classes. Capacity could be increased by improving booking processes, availability times and general flexibility.
15.48 Our review of indoor sports facilities finds that most facilities in Stevenage are getting old, not necessarily in the right place, under resourced and require financial subsidy. It identifies a need for over 400 sq.m. of swimming pool space, about 7 badminton courts and some gym stations. It also notes a demand for indoor martial arts and archery facilities.
15.49 A separate review of Stevenage Arts and Leisure Centre finds that the facility requires financial subsidy and struggles to compete with other arts and conference venues in Hertfordshire. It recommends that the relocation of the entire centre is the most financially viable option. This could provide dedicated car parking plus conference facilities. As a second option it recommends replacing the sports halls with conference and bar facilities and creating a back stage theatre area for touring companies.
15.50 The Building Schools for the Future bid offers an opportunity to provide new leisure facilities. The average 1,200 pupil school should have a sports hall, activity studio, multi use games area, grass athletics track, outdoor sports pitches and a drama hall. The Government wants many of these facilities to be dual use.
15.51 In response to Question CS24 “What open space, leisure and recreation facilities should we provide for the growing population?” of the Core Strategy Key Issues and Alternative Options consultation document, one respondent promoted the relocation of Stevenage rugby club to a new site in the south of the town for rugby and tennis facilities. Of those respondents who clearly select opportunities, equipped play areas were most frequently rated in the top 2 and bowling greens were most frequently rated in the bottom 2.
15.52 Community and leisure facilities can also help to create a more multi-cultural community by providing facilities for such groups. This could include facilities that support, attract and integrate groups and facilities that cater for particularly spiritual or dietary requirements. Existing community networks include Stevenage World Forum for ethnic minorities, the Gujerati Hindu Men’s Association and the Caribbean and African Association.
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15.53 Our sustainability appraisal finds that a good distribution of community and leisure facilities would provide access to services and encourage equal opportunities. This would reduce the need to travel. Facilities in neighbourhood centres would benefit from public transport. It may be appropriate to locate major or one-off facilities such as swimming pools in the town centre or other locations where they are accessible to the greatest number of residents
[CS19] COMMUNITY and LEISURE FACILITIES
Our preferred option is to provide community and leisure facilities in
Stevenage to reflect the distribution of existing and new residents. Major
facilities that attract many visitors should be in accessible locations.
Facilities should provide opportunities for a balanced mix of residents including
young people, families, the elderly, disabled people and social and ethnic
groups. We will identify sites for community and leisure facilities in
forthcoming DPDs and AAPs including the Stevenage and North Hertfordshire
Action Plan.
15.54 Success will be measured in terms of the total number of leisure facilities available, the number of facilities per 1,000 residents and other qualitative indicators.
15.55 Sport Stevenage started in 2006 to develop opportunities for sport and physical activity. It seeks to raise participation levels, secure funding and to support new organisations where there are gaps in provision. It has prepared a sport development plan to deliver these aims. It also considers how Stevenage can contribute to the legacy of the 2012 Olympic Games. The council also will prepare a play strategy with a five year plan of action and an arts and heritage strategy.
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Transport and utilities
16.1 Transport and utilities refers to facilities needed to provide a high quality transport system, supply power and water, clean waste water, prevent flooding and enable communications.
16.2 Transport includes all types of public and private ways of getting around: by car, lorry, bus train, motorbike, walking and cycling. Government guidance33 seeks to integrate planning and transport to encourage less polluting forms of transport and reduce the need to travel.
16.3 The original masterplan for Stevenage sought to create a self-contained community organised around pedestrians and cyclists. It failed to predict the astonishing rise in car ownership that occurred during the 1950s and 1960s. Subsequent masterplans addressed this by building dual carriageways and more parking spaces.
16.4 At present Stevenage performs well in transport terms. The town is served by road and rail routes with a comprehensive bus network and an extensive, purpose built and largely off carriageway cycle and pedestrian network.
16.5 The Hertfordshire local transport plan sets a vision to provide safe, efficient and affordable transport that allows access to facilities and balances prosperity with health and well being.
Buses, trains, walking and cycling
16.6 The first main problem relates to driving versus less polluting forms of transport. Many residents drive short distances and over 80% of commuters use a car. Despite having a bus network that serves nearly all homes most tickets are concession fares to children and the elderly. Only 4% of residents get the bus to work.
16.7 The original masterplan for Stevenage included a cycle and pedestrian network so that people could move freely around the town. In the 1950s about 40% of residents walked or cycled to work. This is now down to 8% due to car ownership and the fear of crime associated with underpasses. Problems also exist where the network is incomplete or new developments interrupt routes. Our transport and utilities capacity study identifies a number of gaps that could be closed to improve circulation.
33 PPG13 Transport 123 Stevenage LDF Core Strategy and Generic DC Policies
Only 17% of commuters use buses, trains, walk or cycle
16.8 The main driver of change is national guidance which seeks to reduce the need to travel. This includes a sequence approach for developments to be located in accessible locations such as the town centre. They may only be located elsewhere if the developer can prove there are no alternative sites. The emerging East of England Plan and regional transport strategy seek to significantly improve public transport in Stevenage. Emphasis is placed on changing travel behaviour through travel plans, education and business initiatives.
16.9 In response to Question CS23) “How can we encourage more sustainable transport?” of the Core Strategy Key Issues and Alternative Options consultation document, Hertfordshire Chamber of Commerce and Industry consider a park and ride facility serving the town centre would rely on high rates of in-commuting and a park and ride facility serving Gunnels Wood would be unviable unless employees were forced to use it. Hertfordshire County Council recognise the strong sustainability implications of park and ride but recommend commercial and feasibility assessments in advance of any firm decision.
16.10 Hertfordshire County Council also recommend that modal shift targets and the cost implications of each option should be established. Schools should update their travel plans. The Highways Agency criticise the lack of demand management and advocate that options be considered as a package of measures. Nathanial Lichfield, representing GlaxoSmithKline, support bus, cycle and pedestrian network improvements between Gunnels Wood and the town centre. English Nature note that the cycle and pedestrian network provides habitat links that can be affected by lighting.
16.11 Recommendations from other respondents include improvements to cycle and footpaths, regulated buses, free buses for all, a traffic free urban core and a monorail system paid for
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by new neighbourhood planning obligations. Underpasses should not be replaced and pedestrians should retain priority status over cars. One respondent suggests innovative solutions such as widened cycle paths for cars and bleed off roads on all roundabouts.
16.12 Of the 24 respondents who clearly suggest options, 13 support park and ride to serve the town centre, 11 support park and ride to serve Gunnels Wood, 15 support more frequent buses on more routes, 16 support extending and enhancing the cycle and pedestrian network, 15 support green travel plans, 17 support more facilities for cyclists and 14 support safer pedestrian routes.
16.13 The inspectors who examined the draft East of England Plan observe that the freedom to get in a car and go anywhere at any time is part of people’s quality of life. They also state that this freedom is under threat. Since the 1990s planning has tried to reduce car use by offering more and better bus, train, walking and cycling options. Publicity campaigns focus on the environmental and health benefits of not driving. This is sometimes combined with minor penalties for those who do drive such as higher parking fees or fewer parking spaces.
16.14 Unfortunately such efforts ignore a number of crucial factors. It is generally easier to use a car than a bus or train. Cars can go directly from A to B without much walking involved. They do not have timetables. They can carry the weekly shopping. Once people have bought, insured and taxed a car they often want to use them rather than pay more for buses and trains. Cars can also indicate wealth and social status.
16.15 All these factors make it difficult for people to change their travel behaviour. The most likely changes are for short journeys that can be walked or cycled and for regular journeys to work or school. It is easier to plan a journey by bus or train when you do it every day or car share if you meet at the same time every morning. It is therefore likely that a mix of efforts will be most effective in changing travel behaviour. Some of these can be achieved through local planning policies. Other efforts such as petrol prices and road charging are national or global issues and cannot be directly influenced. Our transport and utilities study suggests that innovative public transport systems – such as guided buses or trams – may provide an alternative to traditional buses.
16.16 The most significant effort will come from being a more self-contained community. This will provide the opportunity for people to live and work in Stevenage. A new public transport interchange as part of the town centre regeneration scheme is equally important. This will
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locate the bus station closer to the train station so that it is easier to transfer from one to the other. It will be supported by live timetable information. It will encourage more people to catch the bus and reduce the number of cars on the road.
Parking
16.17 Parking refers to car parking spaces in all locations around Stevenage. This includes homes, businesses, the town centre, leisure and retail parks, supermarkets and many other destinations. It also includes the lorry park in the Old Town.
16.18 The original masterplan for Stevenage made some provision for car parking but failed to predict the astonishing rise in car ownership that occurred during the 1950s and 1960s. It assumed that only one in every eight homes would need a parking space.
16.19 The first main problem relates to existing and future rates of car ownership. At present there are about 38,000 cars in Stevenage: equivalent to 1.16 per house. Due to the lack of private spaces many cars are parked on the street where they disrupt traffic flows. Greater prosperity may lead to higher rates of car ownership. The rest of Hertfordshire for example has the sixth highest rate of car ownership in the UK at 1.34 per household. A report34 by the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment (known as CABE) points out that even if people use their cars less this is unlikely to reduce levels of ownership.
16.20 The main drivers of change are national and regional policy. Since the 1990s Government guidance has sought to reduce car usage and encourage less polluting forms of transport by requiring councils to adopt maximum parking standards. These should take account of future rates of car ownership but should be rigorous enough to influence travel behaviour.
16.21 Parking can be monitored using the new national planning application form which requires developers to provide information on existing and proposed parking spaces.
16.22 Our sustainable community strategy seeks to develop a sustainable transport network that reduces the need to travel and promotes less polluting forms of transport. The council is preparing a car parking strategy that will consider how we can tackle parking problems around the town and address the longer term increase in car ownership.
34 What Home Buyers Want (2005) 126 Stevenage LDF Core Strategy and Generic DC Policies
16.23 Our sustainability appraisal finds that all options would reduce the need to travel and greenhouse gas emissions. Many options have health benefits from increasing physical activity. Efforts to enhance the cycle and pedestrian network must address issues of safety and fear of crime. Park and ride schemes can promote sustainable transport when implemented alongside other options. There are no regional or county policies to support park and ride in Stevenage however and little indication that developers are keen to pursue this option. Our transport and utilities capacity study does not recommend modal split targets and there is no national or regional guidance to inform such a policy. The only target in the Hertfordshire local transport plan is for 60% journeys to school by non car modes. Our preferred option is therefore to rely on a mix of efforts to change travel behaviour.
[CS20] BUSES, TRAINS, WALKING and CYCLING
Our preferred option is to provide high quality public transport, walking and
cycling opportunities at the same time as new homes and jobs. We will locate
new development in accessible locations, promote less polluting forms of
transport, reduce the need to travel and the length of journeys. Developments
should be well connected to public transport and the cycle and pedestrian
network. We will seek to deliver a new public transport interchange through
the Town Centre Area Action Plan. We will address gaps in the cycle and
pedestrian network through relevant DPDs and AAPs. We will set parking
standards for different types of development in our forthcoming Design Guide
SPD that will be adopted at the same time as the Core Strategy and Generic
Development Control Policies DPD. Our desired approach is to provide new bus,
cycle and pedestrian links that connect new neighbourhoods to the existing
urban area through the Stevenage and North Hertfordshire Action Plan. Our
desired approach is to relocate the lorry park in the Old Town closer to an
A1(M) junction through the Stevenage and North Hertfordshire Action Plan.
We will consider the merits of new rapid mass public transport options such as
guided buses and trams.
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16.24 Public transport, walking and cycling can be monitored using Census data.
16.25 Our sustainable community strategy seeks to develop a sustainable transport network that reduces the need to travel and promotes less polluting forms of transport. The council is preparing a transport strategy to achieve these intentions. We are also preparing a cycling strategy that will explain how the cycle network can be improved to encourage more people to use it.
Road and rail transport
16.26 The second main problem relates to road and rail transport. Congestion occurs on main road and rail routes serving Stevenage, on the urban road network and at major junctions. The majority of this congestion is caused by commuting. About 60,000 people commute to, from or within Stevenage each day. 80% are a car driver or passenger and 5% use the train. It is expected to get worse as the town grows and will result in longer journeys with more cars on the road and more greenhouse gas emissions.
16.27 The main driver of change is the emerging East of England Plan and regional transport strategy which identify Stevenage as a regional transport node. Emphasis is placed on improving public transport and stabilising traffic levels. Parking standards should be used to influence travel behaviour. The Plan seeks to improve capacity on the East Coast Main Line, the A1(M), A505 and A602. It refers to the need for further study of these routes in response to transport pressure and traffic growth.
A1(M) congestion
16.28 In terms of motorway transport, the A1(M) as an important route between London, the midlands and the north. It is part of the trans-European road network for heavy goods vehicles. It is 3 lane motorway for most of its route through Hertfordshire but reduces to 2
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lanes between junctions 5 and 8 around Stevenage. This causes congestion with slow moving traffic southbound in the mornings and northbound in the evenings. It is particularly bad between junctions 6 and 8.
16.29 Our transport and utilities capacity study uses a traffic model to work out future congestion rates. It concludes that the capacity of the A1(M) will be reached by 2011 even if there is no growth in Stevenage as a general increase in car ownership plus growth in southern Hertfordshire and Peterborough will increase traffic volumes by about 30%. The growth of Stevenage will generate up to 50% more traffic during peak hours. This will exceed the capacity of the A1(M). Congestion will become more frequent and this will affect the urban road network as drivers seek alternative routes.
16.30 Our consultants recommend that the A1(M) should be widened to provide extra capacity and to maintain longer distance north-south flows. It prioritises widening south of junction 7 to three lanes in both directions as an important part of the town’s transport infrastructure. Widening between junctions 7 and 8 may have to follow depending on the amount of local traffic using the A1(M). This should be complemented by improvements to roundabouts, signalling and feeder/exit lanes.
16.31 A1(M) widening is an ambition of many local authorities in the area. A letter signed by Stevenage, North Hertfordshire and Welwyn Hatfield councils supporting the scheme was sent to the Department for Transport in 2006. The ultimate financial decision however lies with the Department for Transport.
16.32 In terms of other roads, the Hertfordshire local transport plan predicts traffic growth of 32% by 2021 although it is unclear whether this takes account of new homes. Congestion will occur on the A602 to Ware, Fairlands Way and Hitchin Road near Lister hospital. It prioritises improvements to the A602 to Ware and at the Gunnels Wood Road roundabout.
16.33 Our transport and utilities study reports that new homes will generate 50% more traffic. This will place pressure on east-west routes such as the A505 to Luton and Cambridge, the B1037 to Buntingford, the B197 to Welwyn and elsewhere as drivers seek alternative routes.
16.34 The Old Town gyratory system is a particular problem because it distributes traffic into a one way section at the north end of the High Street. It is fast moving and includes heavy goods vehicles. This creates noise and pollution and makes the road difficult to cross. Our
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conservation area review recommends that it should be removed to improve the character of the Bowling Green.
Old Town gyratory system
16.35 In response to Question OT11) “Should we encourage the County Council to remove the current through traffic from the Bowling Green area?“ of the Old Town Area Action Plan Key Issues and Alternative Options consultation document, there is clear support from English Heritage and others to remove the gyratory system. This would support the “country town” atmosphere of the Old Town. It would improve links between the High Street and open spaces to the north. Some respondents are concerned that listed buildings would need to be demolished and that trade may be lost in the High Street.
16.36 In terms of new neighbourhoods, our transport and utilities capacity study assesses the merits of linking new neighbourhoods to the west of the existing urban area with A1(M) junction 8 via the A602 Wymondley bypass. It concludes that access could be provided via Chantry Lane and Stevenage Road in the short term and replaced by a roundabout connection onto the A602 Wymondley bypass in the longer term. This would need to involve North Hertfordshire District Council as the planning authority and Hertfordshire County Council as the highways authority.
16.37 In terms of rail transport, Stevenage is situated on the East Coast Main Line with long distance rail services operating between London and the north, outer suburban services between Kings Cross, Cambridge and Peterborough and inner suburban services between Moorgate, Hertford and Letchworth.
16.38 Our transport and utilities capacity study reports that congestion occurs on rail routes to London with trains running at close to capacity and many travellers forced to stand. The East Coast Main Line suffers from a number of constraints including the at-grade Hitchin
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junction, Digswell viaduct and power supply limitations. These problems are expected to get worse as the town grows.
[CS21] ROAD and RAIL TRANSPORT
Our preferred option is to seek to provide high quality road and rail transport
at the same time as new homes and jobs. We will continue approaching the
Department for Transport to fund A1(M) widening. We will work with
Hertfordshire County Council as the highways authority to improve the capacity
of the A505, A602, other east-west links and the urban road network. We
will encourage Hertfordshire County Council as the highways authority to
remove the Old Town gyratory system through the Old Town Area Action Plan.
We will work with relevant rail bodies to improve the capacity of the East
Coast Main Line. Our desired approach is to create a new connection from new
neighbourhoods onto the A1(M) via the A602 Wymondley bypass through the
Stevenage and North Hertfordshire Action Plan.
16.39 Road and rail transport options are difficult to implement as the council has few powers. Rail transport is the responsibility of the Department for Transport, Network Rail and rail operators. Road transport is the responsibility of the Department for Transport, the Highways Agency and Hertfordshire County Council.
Luton airport
16.40 The third main transport problem relates to Luton airport. The airport is located 10 km from the western boundary of Stevenage and takes about 30 minutes to reach by car. It specialises in budget business and holiday flights. It is a valuable facility which enhances Stevenage as a business location. We recognise that the airport is an important asset that can help regenerate Luton. The direction of the runway however means that planes fly over Stevenage to land and take off. This can cause noise disturbance to residents but is not currently defined as severe.
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16.41 Noise impact is controlled using day and night contours. Companies can be fined if their aircraft make too much noise outside these contour areas. The area around Luton airport is currently controlled by noise contours agreed in 1984.
16.42 The main driver of change is the Government’s support for a new runway and the expansion of Luton airport from 7.5 to 30 million passengers a year by 2030. This may have significant noise and environmental impacts on Stevenage. Although aircraft are getting quieter there are likely to be more of them flying close to or over the town.
16.43 At the time of writing Luton airport announced that they are withdrawing proposals for a new runway and will focus on making the most of their existing site. This means that Stevenage is unlikely to be affected by airport growth in the short or medium term.
[CS22] LONDON LUTON AIRPORT
Our preferred option is to work with Luton airport to set limits on the levels of
noise and environmental disturbance caused by the airport that may affect
Stevenage and its surroundings. We will continue to rely on the 1984 day and
night noise contours.
Utilities
16.44 Utilities refers to the supply of electricity, gas and water to homes and businesses and the removal and treatment of waste water. Government guidance states that plans should provide utility companies with sufficient information for their own forward planning.
16.45 The main problem relates to the capacity of existing infrastructure and the capacity needed to support growth. Our transport and utilities capacity study has undertaken a detailed assessment of these issues.
16.46 In electricity terms, Stevenage is connected to the National Grid by two EDF Energy overhead distribution lines. There are also a number of buried cables. EDF Energy will need to upgrade sub-stations and cables to serve existing areas and reinforce connections to the
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National Grid to serve new neighbourhoods. This may take 3 years but could be undertaken at the same time as growth. New neighbourhoods could be built without having to relocate any existing power lines.
Electricity, gas and water are needed to support growth
16.47 In gas terms, Stevenage is served by a National Grid high pressure main which runs to the north east of the town and a medium pressure main which runs parallel to the A1(M). Gas is distributed to homes and businesses via a converting station and low pressure pipes. There is sufficient capacity in the existing mains but reinforcements may be needed to the converting station and low pressure pipes to support new neighbourhoods.
16.48 In water supply terms, Stevenage is served by a number of polyethylene, cement and cast iron mains operated by Three Valleys Water. Existing boreholes that remove water from underground aquifers must be improved and unused ones may have to be brought back into action to meet future demand. These costs would normally be paid by the developer but Three Valleys recognise that this may not be the most appropriate arrangement and would seek to agree alternative solutions.
Sewerage
16.49 In sewerage terms, Stevenage is well served by foul sewers that carry waste water to Rye Meads treatment works in East Hertfordshire. Our transport and utilities capacity study suggests that new homes will require an upgrade to the sewer between Stevenage and Rye Meads. It notes however that Stevenage is close to the boundary with Anglian Water and that it may be easier to connect to their sewer network.
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16.50 Government guidance35 requires councils to undertake water cycle studies to address water supply and treatment. We are currently in the process of commissioning and undertaking such a study. Discussions with both Thames Water and the Environment Agency have confirmed that solutions are available to support growth. Stevenage West will be catered for by storage tanks along the sewer to Rye Meads.
Rye Meads treatment works
16.51 A solution that involves Anglian Water is likely to lie within or to the west of the boundary of the Stevenage and North Hertfordshire Action Plan. Consideration of this issue will therefore be taken through this document. This is not because we wish to delay making a decision but because our Core Strategy cannot make any decisions about land in North Hertfordshire.
Flood prevention
16.52 Flood risk refers to the potential for an area to flood. This can occur when it rains in Stevenage and drains cannot carry water away quickly enough or when it rains elsewhere and water is carried to Stevenage by rivers or drains. The main problem is that rain falls on roofs, pavements and other man made surfaces and is channelled into drains. Heavy or long periods of rain can cause drains to overflow and flood. This can damage buildings, destroy wildlife habitats, disrupt transport and threaten lives, as demonstrated by the recent flooding in Tewkesbury and elsewhere.
16.53 Government guidance36 expects councils to prevent development in areas of flood risk and reduce the overall risk of flooding. Strategic flood risk assessments should be carried out to understand flooding issues in the area. Developers should carry out their own flood risk assessments in areas where there is a risk of flooding.
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Flooding can damage buildings and disrupt transport
16.54 Environment Agency maps reveal that most of Stevenage is classified as Zone 1 with a low chance of flooding. There are four area where flooding may be an issue:
Stevenage Brook which flows southwards broadly following the railway line
Aston End Brook located on the south eastern edge of the town
Ash Brook which passes close to Lister hospital
Langley Brook which flows through land to the west of the A1(M)
16.55 We are currently undertaking a strategic flood risk assessment and will use its findings to inform site allocations in forthcoming DPDs and AAPs.
[CS23] UTILITIES, SEWERAGE and FLOOD PREVENTION
Our preferred option is to work with relevant utilities bodies to upgrade
existing utilities and provide new utilities to support new homes and jobs. We
will work with the Environment Agency and other relevant bodies to make
provision for the transfer and treatment of waste water, flood prevention
measures and drainage.
16.56 Utilities can be implemented by the relevant agencies. Energy is the responsibility of EDF Energy and the National Grid. Gas is the responsibility of National Grid. Water is the responsibility of Three Valleys Water and Anglian Water. Sewerage is the responsibility of the Environment Agency, Thames Water and Anglian Water. Flooding is the responsibility of
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the Environment Agency and the water industry. Evidence suggests that all utilities can be provided at the same time as new homes and jobs.
16.57 Flooding and drainage can be monitored using the new national planning application form which requires developers to state whether the site is within an area at risk of flooding, whether the proposal is within 20 metres of a stream or river, whether the proposal will increase the risk of flooding elsewhere and how surface water will be disposed of.
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Implementation
17.1 Implementation refers to the mechanisms that we intend to put in place to deliver our spatial vision, strategic objectives and preferred options.
17.2 The Government has recently replaced their growth area funding system with a new system called a programme of development. This allocates money to growth areas such as Stevenage to fund major projects and pieces of work that will help deliver homes and other growth.
17.3 At the time of writing the council is preparing a programme of development to submit to the Government with a list of projects and pieces of work that we believe will help to deliver growth in and around Stevenage. It includes regeneration projects for the town centre, Gunnels Wood and neighbourhood centres and transport projects such as A1(M) widening, east-west link improvements and new bus interchange facilities.
17.4 We have high expectations that all relevant bodies will help to deliver the vision for Stevenage. The sustainable community strategy is supported by a wide range of public, private, voluntary and community organisations. This is the true essence of spatial planning.
Local delivery vehicle
17.5 The original masterplan for Stevenage was delivered by Stevenage Development Corporation. Between 1946 and 1980 the corporation had powers to assemble land, build homes and roads, provide water and sewerage plus other legal powers required to build a town. At its peak between 1951 and 1971 the corporation managed to build 18,000 homes and create 27,000 jobs: higher than the targets in the emerging East of England Plan.
17.6 The main problem facing Stevenage is how to deliver 16,000 new homes and a significant number of new jobs. The emerging East of England Plan anticipates that regeneration and growth will require delivery mechanisms that work across administrative boundaries and suggests that partners may want to set up a local delivery vehicle for this purpose.
17.7 A local delivery vehicle is a partnership of public and private sector bodies who combine their efforts and resources to deliver regeneration and growth. Such partnerships are already proving successful in growth areas such as Cambridge and Milton Keynes.
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17.8 We believe that the vision for Stevenage necessitates a strong delivery vehicle that can bring together numerous agencies and secure the necessary levels of infrastructure investment required to create a self-contained and sustainable community.
17.9 The main problem is the composition of a local delivery vehicle. A council led delivery vehicle would have to include North Hertfordshire District Council and Hertfordshire County Council who both oppose the expansion of Stevenage. If this problem could be overcome it would also be necessary to assume some development control responsibilities from all three councils.
[CS24] LOCAL DELIVERY VEHICLE
Our preferred option is to lobby the Government and other relevant agencies to
establish and fund a local delivery vehicle for Stevenage.
Simplified planning zones
17.10 In our Core Strategy Key Issues and Alternative Options consultation document we asked a question about simplified planning zones (known as SPZs). These are described by the Government as a weapon in a council’s armoury to help secure development or redevelopment. They effectively grant planning permission for specific types of development subject to conditions or limitations. They can generate private investment and act as a promotional tool for councils. They can provide greater certainty, reduce planning application delays and create development value for a developer.
SPZs help secure development or redevelopment
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17.11 In response to Question CS9) “Should we designate any employment simplified planning zones?” of the Core Strategy Key Issues and Alternative Options consultation document, both Hertfordshire Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Nathanial Lichfield, representing GlaxoSmithKline, support SPZs as they simplify the planning process, allow decisions to be made expeditiously and would make Stevenage more attractive to investors.
17.12 In contrast a number of respondents state that the market should dictate development, as an SPZ would unduly restrict alternative uses. Better use should be made of existing employment areas through alternative means such as grants. Hertfordshire County Council’s leaning towards “no SPZs” on the basis that the emerging East of England Plan does not refer to them correlates with comments that such a designation would not be subject to proper consultation. Other respondents fear that SPZs would undermine New Town development principles.
17.13 Of the 21 respondents who clearly select options, 3 do not support SPZs, 13 support a Gunnels Wood SPZ, 7 support a Pin Green SPZ and 6 support a new strategic employment site SPZ.
17.14 Our sustainability appraisal finds that SPZs would have economic and self-containment benefits. Government legislation37 however states that councils can only designate a SPZ via the regional plan. The emerging East of England Plan does not make such a provision. This was something we requested at all stages of regional plan consultation as a form of market intervention to help deliver employment growth. It will not be clear whether the regional plan makes provision for SPZs until it is adopted in early 2008.
[CS25] SIMPLIFIED PLANNING ZONES (SPZs)
Our preferred option is to await the outcome of the adopted East of England
Plan to see whether it supports simplified planning zones.
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Planning obligations
17.15 Planning obligations refer to agreements between the council and developers to provide services or facilities associated with a development. They are intended to make development acceptable in planning terms that would otherwise be unacceptable. Services or facilities might include a new bus route, affordable housing, landscaping or a play area.
Planning obligations are agreements between the council and developers
17.16 Government guidance38 states that planning obligations must be relevant to planning, necessary to make the proposed development acceptable in planning terms, directly related to the proposed development, fair and reasonable in scale and kind and reasonable in all other aspects.
17.17 The main problem is that planning obligations are not sought on a consistent basis. Developers are uncertain as to what services and facilities they might have to provide. The main driver of change is Government guidance which is seeking to redress this problem by making the process clearer and more transparent for both councils and developers.
17.18 At the time of writing our Core Strategy Key Issues and Alternative Options consultation document the main focus was on planning obligations. The Government is also considering a planning gain supplement system to secure some of the uplift value of land as a result of planning permission. Building homes on agricultural land for example raises its value from about £12,000 to about £3 million per hectare. The supplement would be spent on wider social and community infrastructure. Planning obligations would continue to be spent on infrastructure necessary to make development acceptable in planning terms.
38 Circular xxx 140 Stevenage LDF Core Strategy and Generic DC Policies
17.19 In response to Question CS26) “What planning obligations should we ask for and how should they be secured?” the majority of respondents express support for a supplementary planning document. Private sector respondents refer to the Government tests and assert that obligations should be sought on a site by site basis. They do not believe that the provision of facilities should be pre-determined.
17.20 Hertfordshire County Council propose a comprehensive implementation plan and multi- agency approach given the scale of regeneration and growth planned for Stevenage. They suggest that a tariff system can ensure consistency and reduce delays. Thames Water express support for a Grampian style condition (whereby development cannot proceed unless agreed conditions are met) if developers cannot demonstrate that adequate water and sewerage infrastructure capacity exists and do not fund capacity improvements.
17.21 A few respondents find merit in a “roof tax” approach for urban extensions and one respondent recommends that the council should keep an open record of where monies are spent. Specialist planning obligations put forward include flood risk management, habitat creation, water quality, river corridor restoration, air quality monitoring, land remediation, waste management and sports facilities.
17.22 Of the 17 respondents who clearly selected an option, 1 supports doing nothing, 3 support keeping calculations up to date, 9 support specifying need in forthcoming plans, 3 support preparing a supplementary planning document and 1 supports a roof tax. Of the 13 respondents who clearly select options for the type of obligations we should ask for affordable housing and open space are most popular and allotments are least popular.
17.23 East Hertfordshire Primary Care Trust have informed us that new enhanced primary care centres require planning obligations of about £1,000 per person per year for three years.
17.24 Our sustainability appraisal has not assessed alternative options as they could all achieve sustainability objectives depending on the type and value of planning obligations sought.
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[CS25/26] PLANNING OBLIGATIONS
Our preferred option is to seek planning obligations in line with Government guidance. We will set out requirements for particular sites in forthcoming DPDs and AAPs including the Stevenage and North Hertfordshire Action Plan. We will prepare a Planning Obligations SPD that will be adopted at the same time as our Core Strategy and Generic Development Control Policies DPDs that will cover issues such as:
Childcare and youth facilities
Economic development activities
Education, skills and lifelong learning
Health care facilities
Open spaces and play areas
Police, community safety and crime
Public transport, walking, cycling and green travel plans
Road and rail transport
Social / affordable homes
Sports, community and leisure facilities
Utilities
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Section 2: Generic Development Control Policies
Generic development control policies are town-wide and non site-specific policies that the council will use to determine planning applications.
They deliver the spatial vision and strategic objectives set out in the Core Strategy by defining the circumstances under which planning permission will or will not be granted.
Many of the preferred options in this section repeat national and regional guidance. We have included them in this version of the document so that the community can understand exactly how we intend to determine planning applications. It is likely that we will remove all policies that rely on national and regional guidance from our Submission document.
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Sustainable community
Sustainability and quality of life objectives
18.1 Our Core Strategy preferred option is to create a more sustainable community by ensuring the development achieves local, national and global sustainability objectives and improves the quality of life for residents and visitors.
18.2 Our sustainability appraisal concludes that our sustainability and quality of life objectives comply with national and regional guidance. The purpose of sustainability and quality of life statements is to allow developers to demonstrate how they intend to address issues such as travel, climate change and pollution. They would also provide the council with a clear understanding of the implications of the proposal. Mitigation measures and planning obligations may be necessary at the site specific level to help achieve particular objectives.
[DC1] SUSTAINABILITY and QUALITY OF LIFE STATEMENT
Our preferred option is to prepare a generic development control policy that
requires developers to explain how their proposal will achieve sustainability and
quality of life objectives set out in Policy CS1. Council officers will contact
developers if they feel they need more information to determine a proposal.
Energy efficiency and renewable energy
18.3 The greatest sustainability challenge facing society is climate change. Human activities such as burning fossil fuels and driving emit greenhouse gases that collect in the earth’s atmosphere and act like a blanket by trapping heat from the sun. This is raising global temperatures, causing ice caps to melt, raising sea levels and changing weather patterns.
18.4 In response the UK has agreed to reduce emissions. Planning policies are expected to encourage energy efficiency, support renewable energy and reduce the need to travel. This includes setting targets for the amount of renewable energy that developments must
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generate. Developers should also use sustainable construction principles so that all homes are carbon neutral by 2016.
All homes should be carbon neutral by 2016
18.5 Government data39 reveals that Stevenage emits 270,000 tonnes of greenhouse gases from industry and commerce, 170,000 tonnes from housing and 145,000 tonnes from transport. This compares poorly against the rest of Hertfordshire in terms of industry and commerce, slightly better in terms of housing and significantly better in terms of transport.
18.6 There are three obvious ways to reduce emissions:
We can be more efficient by installing insulation and using low energy technologies. New buildings can be designed to face the sun and use construction materials that retain heat in the winter and allow natural cooling in the summer
We can derive more energy from renewable sources such as wind, water and the sun. Such sources are the opposite of non-renewable fossil fuels such as coal, gas and oil which we currently burn to create energy but which release greenhouse gases
We can reduce emissions through lifestyle choices. An obvious choice is whether we own a car and how often we use it
18.7 There are also practical and economic reasons for using renewable energy. Fossil fuels are getting expensive and will eventually run out. Conflicts often occur in the areas where they are found and this raises supply concerns. Renewable energy can offer a local and reliable supply that cuts fuel bills and reduces fuel poverty.
39 Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (also known as DEFRA) 145 Stevenage LDF Core Strategy and Generic DC Policies
18.8 The main driver of change is the emerging East of England Plan which sets a regional target to derive 10% of electricity from land based renewable sources by 2010 and 17% by 2020. It expects developments in growth areas such as Stevenage to make extra efforts in terms of their energy performance.
18.9 At the time of writing there were reports in national newspapers that the Government may drop the “Merton rule” which supports 10% renewable energy. We will take account of any such changes to national or regional policy before preparing our Submission document.
18.10 The Hertfordshire renewable energy study considers how these targets might be achieved. It identifies potential for wind turbines at sites using a lot of electricity and technologies such as solar panels and rooftop wind turbines for homes and businesses. It concludes that fitting technologies into new developments is better than persuading owners to retrofit technologies in existing buildings. The greatest potential in urban areas such as Stevenage comes from community heating schemes and embedded technologies.
Technology Description and viability Convert wind into electricity. Best located in windy hill top Large wind turbines areas. May be suitable at sites using a lot of electricity. Burns agricultural waste so is usually large scale and close Biomass to fuel sources. There is limited potential in Stevenage. Use moving water in mountainous areas to drive a turbine. Water turbines There is limited potential in Stevenage. Uses warm water pumped from ground in volcanic regions. Geo-thermal There is limited potential in Stevenage. Convert wind into electricity. Suitable for all new buildings Rooftop wind turbines and some existing buildings subject to roof space. Convert energy from sun into electricity. Suitable for all new Solar panels buildings and some existing buildings subject to roof space. Stores and uses energy from the sun. Suitable for all new Passive solar buildings and some existing buildings. Burns wood chips to produce electricity. Suitable for all new Combined heat & power developments. Transfer heat from the ground into buildings. Best suited to Ground source heat pump buildings where both heating and cooling are needed. Similar to combined heat and power but on larger scale. Community heating Suitable for all new developments. Source: Hertfordshire renewable energy study
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18.11 In response to Question CS20) “How should renewable energy and energy efficiency be provided?” of the Core Strategy Key Issues and Alternative Options consultation document, all respondents support efforts to encourage renewable energy. The British Wind Energy Association recommend two policies: a criteria based approach which assesses planning applications in terms of residential amenity, landscape and environmental effects and an integrated approach to generate renewable energy from on-site sources. Both approaches should be objective rather than restrictive. They also recommend outlining the different technologies available and encouraging environmental impact assessments.
18.12 Hertfordshire County Council note that work is being undertaken to prepare a county wide approach to renewable energy. It would discourage developers from locating their proposals in other council areas with weaker renewable energy policies. It would also encourage best practice. They expect that major schemes such as town centre redevelopment and new neighbourhoods should incorporate renewable energy. Other respondents agree that Stevenage is not constrained by the type of infrastructure that exists in other towns. There is general support to seize the opportunities available.
18.13 English Nature will not object to applications and proposals per se but expect positive and negative impacts to be assessed and will oppose schemes that compromise designated sites or protected species. Responses from Hertfordshire Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the private sector request that the business community be consulted to ensure targets do not restrict development viability.
18.14 Of the 25 respondents who clearly select options, 18 support technologies in existing buildings, 21 support technologies in new development, 11 support large scale technologies and 16 support embedded technologies.
18.15 At the time of writing our Core Strategy Key Issues and Alternative Options consultation document the draft East of England Plan required energy statements for proposals of more than 50 dwellings or 1,000 sq.m. The emerging East of England Plan does not contain this requirement. Instead it sets a target for all developments to generate at least 10% of their energy from renewable sources. It encourages councils to adopt more ambitious targets.
18.16 Our sustainability appraisal finds merits in all options but concludes that efforts would be best directed towards small scale technologies in new developments. This matches the
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findings of local renewable energy studies. Alternative options are theoretically viable but unlikely to make a significant contribution to renewable energy generation.
[DC2] ENERGY EFFICIENCY and RENEWABLE ENERGY
Our preferred option is to support proposals for energy efficiency and
renewable energy in line with national and regional guidance. We will prepare
a generic development control policy which require developers to submit an
energy statement for proposals of 1 or more homes and over 500 sq.m. of
other uses explaining how embedded energy efficiency and renewable energy
technologies will generate at least 10% of predicted energy consumption.
Developers must demonstrate that they cannot achieve a higher percentage.
Targets may be set in forthcoming DPDs and AAPs to ensure that major sites
and new neighbourhoods utilise available space and economies of scale to
generate higher percentages. It will be up to developers to determine the
most appropriate technologies to use. We will rely on national and regional
guidance to determine proposals for major and large scale renewable energy
technologies. We will consult the National Air Traffic Service and London
Luton Airport in respect of proposals for wind turbines.
18.17 Energy efficiency and renewable energy can be monitored through our Building Control team. Renewables East publish an annual report setting out the region’s renewable energy statistics. Further guidance will be provided in a forthcoming Design Guide SPD.
Sustainable construction principles
18.18 It is estimated that 50% of greenhouse gas emissions come from energy used to heat, cool and light buildings. At the time of writing our Core Strategy Key Issues and Alternative Options consultation document the best method of assessing the environmental performance of buildings was the Building Research Establishment’s Environmental Assessment Method (known as BREEAM).
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The Code for Sustainable Homes awards between one and six stars
18.19 The Government intends to introduce a new national system called the Code for Sustainable Homes. This assesses the sustainability of a home and award between one (») and six (»»»»»») stars. Criteria include energy and water use, greenhouse gas emissions, water run-off, construction materials and waste management. Stars are based on performance over and above Building Regulations standards.
Stars Above Building Regulation standard To be achieved by One (») 10%
Two (»») 18%
Three (»»») 25% 2010
Four (»»»») 44% 2013
Five (»»»»») 100%
Six (»»»»»») Zero carbon 2016 Source: Code for Sustainable Homes
18.20 In response to Question CS21) “Should we develop principles of sustainable development for new and existing buildings?” of the Core Strategy Key Issues and Alternative Options consultation document, RPS, representing Fairview New Homes and Stevenage Regeneration Limited, and Nathanial Lichfield, representing GlaxoSmithKline, raise concerns about setting prescriptive standards which could stifle regeneration and development. Standards should be applied on a site by site basis. Hertfordshire Chamber of Commerce and Industry query whether a “very good” rating is realistically achievable.
18.21 Other respondents voice general support. Hertfordshire County Council consider that Stevenage is well placed and would greatly benefit from integrating such policies into their
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plans. They recommend a “make development more sustainable” policy. English Nature and the Environment Agency refer to environmental issues such as biodiversity integration, water conservation and green/brown roofs. North Hertfordshire District Council expect such policies to be carried forward into the Stevenage and North Hertfordshire Action Plan.
18.22 Of the 18 respondents who clearly select options, 7 support reasserting generic guidance contained in the District Plan, 4 support a BREEAM rating of “very good” for all developments and 7 support incorporating sustainable design techniques into the Core Strategy.
18.23 Our sustainability appraisal observes that all options would deliver sustainability benefits. It concludes that the Code for Sustainable Homes should be used for homes and BREEAM should be used for other types of buildings. Other options require detailed wording and would end up being too inflexible. Applying standards on a site by site basis would fail to provide consistent guidance.
18.24 Because BREEAM assesses aspects beyond the control of a developer such as proximity to public transport it is sometimes very difficult to achieve an “excellent” rating. We therefore consider that a rating of at least “very good” should be applied in these circumstances. This equates to three stars under the Code for Sustainable Homes. A lower rating would fail to address the climate change agenda.
[DC3] SUSTAINABLE CONSTRUCTION PRINCIPLES
Our preferred option is to prepare a generic development control policy that
supports sustainable construction principles in line with national guidance and
legislation. We will rely on the Code for Sustainable Homes for homes and
require other uses to achieve a BREEAM rating of at least “very good”.
Targets may be set in forthcoming DPDs and AAPs to ensure that major sites
and new neighbourhoods utilise available space and economies of scale to
achieve higher ratings. Ratings will apply at the point of construction rather
than at the point of planning permission.
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18.25 Sustainable construction principles can be monitored and implemented through our building control function. Developers and the construction industry will be expected to play their part. This policy may need to be updated to reflect changes in national and regional guidance and possibly deleted if standards become part of building regulations.
Waste management
18.26 Waste refers to the things we throw away. The average person in Stevenage produces about 530 kgs of waste per year of which 140 kgs is recycled. The rest is sent to landfill at a cost of £18 per tonne. The town is likely to produce more waste as it grows.
18.27 The main driver of change is the emerging East of England Plan which seeks to minimise waste and the impact of growth on waste management facilities. It establishes targets to significantly reduce the amount going to landfill. In the future the rising cost of landfill tax may encourage less waste and more recycling. The Government is also considering giving councils powers to fine households who do not recycle.
Recycling “versus” landfill
18.28 Although the council is responsible for collecting waste it is Hertfordshire County Council who are responsible for its disposal. The Hertfordshire waste management strategy seeks to prevent waste as a first option, to re-use, recycle and compost waste as a second option and to dispose of it as a last resort. It aims to reduce the amount of waste we produce to 285 kgs per person and to recycle 50% of this by 2012. The decisions made in this document will be subject to sustainability appraisal. We are unaware of any alternative options that could be applied in Stevenage and have therefore not carried out a sustainability appraisal.
151 Stevenage LDF Core Strategy and Generic DC Policies
[DC4] WASTE MANAGEMENT
Our preferred option is to support proposals for waste management in line
with national, regional and county guidance.
18.29 Waste can be monitoring using the new national planning application form which requires developers to state how waste will be stored and collected and whether separate arrangements have been made for recyclable waste.
Water consumption
18.30 Water consumption refers to the amount of water we use in industry and in our homes for cooking, washing and cleaning. The main problem is that Stevenage is in the driest region in England. In many areas groundwater is being used up quicker than it is replaced and rivers are running dry. We use 180 litres of water a day: twice as much as our grandparents thanks to modern products such as dishwashers.
18.31 The main driver of change is the emerging East of England Plan which seeks to reduce water consumption. The Environment Agency advise that 110 litres is sustainable and can be achieved through efficiency fittings and better use of appliances. Metering for example can reduce consumption by 15% and modern toilets use 50% less water per flush. The Code for Sustainable Homes wants a six star home to achieve just 80 litres per person. The BREEAM system contains a similar provision.
18.32 We have not carried out a sustainability appraisal as our preferred option is to rely on the Code for Sustainable Homes for homes and BREEAM for other types of buildings.
[DC5] WATER CONSUMPTION
Our preferred option is to rely on the Code for Sustainable Homes and
BREEAM in respect of water consumption.
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18.33 Water consumption can be monitored and implemented through our building control function. Developers and the water industry will be expected to play their part.
Sustainable urban drainage systems
18.34 Flooding can occur when it rains in Stevenage and drains cannot carry water away quickly enough or when it rains elsewhere and water is carried to Stevenage by rivers or drains. The main problem is that rain falls on roofs, pavements and other man made surfaces and is channelled into drains.
18.35 Sustainable urban drainage systems (known as SUDS) can reduce the risk of flooding by directing rain into the ground, ponds or wetland environments. They can also create wildlife habitats. Government guidance40 states that councils should prepare policies that support sustainable urban drainage systems.
18.36 We have not carried out a sustainability appraisal as our preferred option is to rely on national guidance.
[DC6] SUSTAINABLE URBAN DRAINAGE SYSTEMS (SUDS)
Our preferred option is to support sustainable urban drainage systems in line
with national guidance. We will expect proposals to incorporate sustainable
urban drainage systems. Developers must demonstrate that such systems are
not appropriate.
18.37 Drainage can be monitored using the new national planning application form which requires developers to state whether their site incorporates sustainable urban drainage systems.
Pollution and contamination
18.38 Pollution refers to the release of substances into the air, ground or water. It includes solids, liquids and gases as well as noise, vibration, heat and light. The impact of pollution can
40 PPS25 Development and Flood Risk 153 Stevenage LDF Core Strategy and Generic DC Policies
vary from nuisance caused by late night noise to hazardous materials entering rivers. Pollution also occurs when land is contaminated by industrial processes or waste disposal. It usually occurs in areas of heavy industry where oil, fuel or other hazardous substances are used.
18.39 The original masterplan for Stevenage sought to separate noise generating uses such as industry and roads from noise sensitive uses such as homes and schools. This is why most employment land is in Gunnels Wood and Pin Green. The clean nature of industries also means that there are few areas of contaminated land or hazardous materials.
18.40 Government guidance41 seeks to prevent harmful developments and mitigate the impact of potentially polluting developments. It expects developers to clean up contaminated land where it exists.
18.41 We have not carried out a sustainability appraisal as our preferred option is to rely on national guidance.
[DC7] POLLUTION and CONTAMINATED LAND
Our preferred option is to rely on national guidance to determine proposals in
respect of pollution and contaminated land.
18.42 Hazardous materials can be monitoring using the new national planning application form which requires developers to state the expected capacity or throughput of such materials. It can also be used to monitor non-hazardous material such as landfill and compost.
Living and working in Stevenage
18.43 Our Core Strategy preferred option is to build upon and re-assert the New Town concept of a balanced and self-contained community. Our reasoned justification set out in chapter 7 demonstrates that local evidence, consultation responses and our sustainability appraisal support efforts to create a balanced and more self-contained community.
41 PPS23 Planning and Pollution Control 154 Stevenage LDF Core Strategy and Generic DC Policies
18.44 Our sustainability appraisal concludes that there are many benefits to being more self- contained. Balance and self-containment statements would allow developers to demonstrate how they intend to help balance the number of homes and jobs. They would also provide the council with a clear understanding of the implications of the proposal. Mitigation measures and planning obligations may be necessary at the site specific level to help achieve particular objectives.
[DC8] BALANCE and SELF-CONTAINMENT STATEMENT
Our preferred option is to prepare a generic development control policy that
requires developers to explain how their proposal will achieve balance and
self-containment objectives set out in Policy CS2. Council officers will
contact developers if they feel they need more information to determine a
proposal.
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Prosperity through regeneration and growth
Prosperity through regeneration and growth objectives
18.45 Our Core Strategy preferred option is to erode deprivation and ensure residents share in the growing prosperity through a combination of regeneration and growth.
18.46 Our sustainability appraisal concludes that raising prosperity and sharing the benefits across the town is an important element of our spatial vision. Prosperity statements would allow developers to demonstrate how they intend to erode deprivation and raise prosperity. They would also provide the council with a clear understanding of the implications of the proposal. Mitigation measures and planning obligations may be necessary at the site specific level to help achieve particular objectives.
[DC9] PROSPERITY THROUGH REGENERATION and GROWTH STATEMENT
Our preferred option is to prepare a generic development control policy that
requires developers to explain how their proposal will contribute to prosperity
objectives set out in Policy CS3. Council officers will contact developers if
they feel they need more information to determine a proposal.
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Housing
Affordable housing thresholds
18.47 Our Core Strategy preferred option is that 40% of new homes should be affordable / social. Our reasoned justification set out in chapter 9 demonstrates that local evidence, consultation responses and our sustainability appraisal supports more affordable homes.
18.48 At the time of writing our Core Strategy Key Issues and Alternative Options consultation document we had a policy which required developers to provide 20-25% affordable homes on sites of 25 or more homes. This has since been updated by Government guidance42 which lowers the threshold to 15 homes. It also states that councils can set even lower thresholds where they are shown to be viable and practical. Our urban capacity study reveals that many sites in Stevenage will be under 15 homes and will not have to provide affordable homes. We have therefore considered whether to set lower thresholds.
Councils can set lower thresholds where viable
18.49 In response to Question CS12) “What is the best affordable housing threshold?” of the Core Strategy Key Issues and Alternative Options consultation document, there is a general feeling that any threshold should relate to evidence. The East of England Regional Assembly support a lower threshold that is appropriate to the housing market and local needs. Hertfordshire County Council observe that the current threshold produces a shortfall of affordable homes. A lower threshold is sensible given the future emphasis on brownfield sites. Both they and North Hertfordshire District Council assert that the same thresholds are necessary for new neighbourhoods.
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18.50 RPS, representing Stevenage Regeneration Ltd, support less prescriptive target in certain locations. Inflexible targets may be a disincentive to developers particularly on small sites. Another respondent state that provision should be geared towards intermediate homes such as low cost market, key worker and shared equity.
18.51 Of the 19 respondents who clearly select an option, 8 support a 25 or more dwelling threshold, 9 support a 15 or more dwelling threshold and 2 support a different threshold.
18.52 Our affordable housing viability study jointly undertaken with North Hertfordshire District Council uses economic and planning factors to calculate the amount of affordable homes that developers could provide in the future. It recommends a multiple threshold approach. It concludes that a 40% target is viable on schemes of 25 or more homes and that the trigger can be taken below 15 homes without affecting viability. A 50% target would probably be unachievable without grants and other funding. The greatest impacts will be on smaller sites that have to provide affordable homes for the first time.
20% for sites of 5 - 9 homes
30% for sites of 10 - 14 homes
35% for sites of 15 - 24 homes
40% for sites of 25 + homes
18.53 The table below shows how many social homes we built since 2001 using public land and by applying a threshold of 25 or more homes on private sites. It compares how many we could have built using a threshold of 15 or more homes or a multiple threshold approach. It suggests that a multiple threshold approach would exceed the regional aspiration of 35%.
25 threshold 15 threshold Multiple threshold All completions since 2001 978 978 978
238 288 390 Social and key worker completions 24% 29% 39%
18.54 Our sustainability appraisal finds that a multiple threshold approach would ensure that all developments of 5 or more units contribute to our affordable housing target. Our affordable housing viability study demonstrates that this would not adversely affect the viability of development schemes. Other options would fail to achieve the regional affordable housing aspirational of 35% and the Stevenage target of 40%. Mitigation measures could come in
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the form of a reduction, exemption or plan ob for developers who demonstrate that affordable housing cannot be provided or that other benefits would outweigh the provision of affordable homes. The rounding of percentages may also be an issue: we would generally expect rounding to the nearest whole number.
[DC10] AFFORDABLE / SOCIAL HOUSING THRESHOLDS
Our preferred option is to prepare a generic development control policy which
reflects the multiple threshold approach recommended in our affordable
housing viability study. Planning obligations or exemptions may be allowed
where developers can demonstrate that they cannot achieve a particular
target or that they would achieve other policy objectives.
House sizes
18.55 House size refers to the number of bedrooms in a home. This is an important factor in determining what type of person or family will rent or buy a house.
18.56 At present about 29% of people in Stevenage live on their own but trends imply that this will increase to about 40%. This will be matched by a reduction in couples and families. We are therefore likely to need more smaller homes. Over 75% of people on our housing waiting list want a 1 bed home.
18.57 Census data reveals that house sizes differ radically across the town. In Pin Green for example only 2% of homes are detached compared with 38% in Woodfield. There would be many merits in getting a more even balance of homes across the town.
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0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
Stevenage Bandley Hill Bedwell Chells Longmeadow Manor Martins Wood Old Town Pin Green Roebuck St Nicholas Shephall Symonds Green Woodfield
Detached Semi-detached Terrace Flat
18.58 In response to Question CS11) “What should the balance of housing types be?” of the Core Strategy Key Issues and Alternative Options consultation document, the cumulative results are that 21% of homes should be rented from the council, 24% should be cheap, 33% should be market and 23% should be more expensive.
18.59 The more detailed results were:
Total Flats 1, 2, 3 bed 4, 5, 6 bed Rented from council 21% 26% 50% 24%
Cheap 24% 29% 53% 18%
Market 33% 26% 52% 22%
More expensive 23% 22% 48% 30%
18.60 Our latest housing needs survey however reveals that only 21% of residents require a small flat or bungalow. Many more require a medium size semi-detached home or a larger detached home. This is reflected in the council’s affordable housing strategy which recommends that a reasonable share of new affordable homes should have at least 3 bedrooms to cater for larger families.
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18.61 A similar problem exists in London. Experts agree that more family homes are needed and have developed a strategy to tackle the problem. Emphasis is placed on councils setting out clear guidelines for larger family homes.
18.62 Our sustainability appraisal finds that it would be inappropriate to set long term targets for house sizes in this document. It is more appropriate to use up to date housing information to ensure that proposals are responsive in the short and medium term. We will use our annual monitoring report to help provide a balanced mix of homes that reflects the needs of the community.
[DC11] HOUSE SIZES
Our preferred option is to prepare a generic development control policy which
requires developers to provide a range of house sizes in line with our latest
housing needs survey and housing market assessment. Site specific targets
may be set in forthcoming DPDs and AAPs.
18.63 Housing sizes can be monitored using the new national planning application form which requires developers to state how many bedrooms their homes will have. Our annual monitoring report will identify how many houses of each size have been built and what sizes are likely to be needed in the future.
Housing density
18.64 Housing density refers to the number of homes in a given area. It is usually measured in terms of dwellings per hectare (often shortened to “dph”). A football pitch is about one hectare. The original masterplan for Stevenage built neighbourhoods at about 25 to 30 dph with some higher density blocks of flats. These densities are low by today’s standards as the masterplan included wide roads, gardens and green spaces.
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18.65 Government guidance43 seeks to avoid the inefficient use of land. Most developments are expected to be 30 to 50 dph and higher in accessible locations. This is because low densities waste land, encourage people to travel by car, create social exclusion and cannot sustain local services. High densities make better use of brownfield land, support local services and help to achieve an urban renaissance.
18.66 The main driver of change is the emerging East of England Plan which allocates at least 6,400 new homes in Stevenage. It is necessary to find a balance between building high density schemes on brownfield land to minimise greenfield requirements and building schemes at a density which does not over burden services and infrastructure. In recent years many developments in Stevenage have been over 50 dph and some flat proposals – such as the Build Base site on Lytton Way – have exceeded 200 dph by limiting the amount of parking, gardens and green space. There is opposition to such schemes as they place pressure on local services and parking.
18.67 At the time of preparing our Core Strategy Key Issues and Alternative Options consultation document draft Government guidance was proposing densities of 70 dph in city centres, 40 - 75 dph in urban locations and 35 - 55 dph in suburban locations. This has been replaced by a national minimum of 30 dph. Councils are allowed to set their own standards for different areas and lower standards where this can be justified.
18.68 In response to Question CS13) “What are appropriate housing density ranges?” of the Core Strategy Key Issues and Alternative Options consultation document, respondents from the private sector focus on the need for flexibility. They believe that densities should be applied on a site by site basis, that overly prescriptive ranges are inappropriate, that ranges should be subject to site characteristics and sensitivities, environmental limits and design quality and that both higher and lower densities should be sought in some cases e.g. higher in the town centre and lower for aspirational housing. Ranges should be considered as minimums.
18.69 North Hertfordshire District Council note the need for consistent ranges in new neighbourhoods. A clear distinction should be made between targets and aspirations. The East of England Regional Assembly assert that ranges should be set at local standards within the national framework. Comments from voluntary groups and members of the
43 PPS3 Housing 162 Stevenage LDF Core Strategy and Generic DC Policies
public include the need to consider the wider impacts of high densities on society, the inappropriateness of high density schemes in low density areas and the need for space.
18.70 Of the 13 respondents who clearly select an option, 4 support higher densities and 6 support low densities in the town centre, 1 supports higher densities and 12 support low densities in the Old Town, 4 support higher densities and 7 support lower densities in residential neighbourhoods and 4 support higher densities and 6 support lower densities in new neighbourhoods.
18.71 Our sustainability appraisal finds that high densities in the town centre would support an evening economy and encourage sustainable transport. The same is true of areas close to the town centre. High densities in some areas of the Old Town are also sustainable, particularly to the south nearer the town centre and along public transport routes. The cumulative impacts however may adversely affect local distinctiveness. Higher densities in and around neighbourhoods centres may also be appropriate. Densities will be partly determined by our Core Strategy policy to provide a balance of homes and our generic development control policy to provide a range of house sizes in line with up-to-date housing needs and housing market information.
[DC12] HOUSING DENSITY
Our preferred option is to support the national minimum of 30 dwellings per
hectare in all areas of Stevenage. Minimum or maximum densities may be set
in forthcoming DPDs and AAPs to reflect local circumstances. This is likely to
include higher densities in and around the town centre, neighbourhood centres
and the more accessible parts of the Old Town. Our desired approach is that
lower densities for more expensive homes in new neighbourhoods will be
considered in the Stevenage and North Hertfordshire Action Plan.
18.72 Housing density can be monitoring using the new national planning application form which requires developers to state the site area and how many homes they plan to build.
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Windfall sites
18.73 Windfall sites are proposals that come forward on sites that we have not allocated for housing. They are typically brownfield and underused urban sites. Common examples include offices that are no longer needed for their current use, the redevelopment of homes with large gardens or the conversion of a house into flats.
18.74 Government guidance states that our housing trajectory should not include windfall sites in the first 10 years unless specific sites cannot be identified. Where windfall proposals do come forward however they will contribute to our housing target.
18.75 Our sustainability appraisal finds that windfall proposals and conversions will contribute to our target of at least 6,400 new homes. Mitigation measures may be needed to ensure that proposals do not exceed the capacity of local services.
[DC13] WINDFALL SITES
Our preferred option is to prepare a generic development control policy which
supports proposals for windfall housing sites and conversions where they
achieve other policy objectives and which resists proposals which result in the
loss of existing homes unless they contribute to other policy objectives.
Gypsy and Traveller sites
18.76 Our Core Strategy preferred option is to make provision for Gypsy and Traveller pitches in forthcoming DPDs and AAPs if such a need is identified in the emerging East of England Plan. For proposals for Gypsy and Traveller sites outside of this process we are unaware of any alternative options that could be applied in Stevenage and have therefore not carried out a sustainability appraisal.
18.77 Our draft Gypsy and Traveller site study commissioned in partnership with Broxbourne, East Hertfordshire, North Hertfordshire and Welwyn Hatfield councils and Hertfordshire County Council recommends criteria that could be used to determine proposals for Gypsy
164 Stevenage LDF Core Strategy and Generic DC Policies
and Traveller sites. These include safe access from the road network, not in an area of flood risk, capable of receiving essential utilities, near local services and with opportunity for expansion in the future.
18.78 We have not carried out a sustainability appraisal as our preferred option is to rely on national and regional guidance.
[DC14] GYPSY and TRAVELLER SITES
Our preferred option is to rely upon national and regional guidance in respect
of proposals for Gypsy and Traveller sites. We will also consider the
recommendations of our Gypsy and Traveller site study.
Travelling showpeople sites
18.79 Our Core Strategy preferred option is to make provision for Travelling Showpeople sites in forthcoming DPDs and AAPs if such a need is identified in the emerging East of England Plan. For proposals for Travelling Showpeople sites outside of this process we are unaware of any alternative options that could be applied in Stevenage and have therefore not carried out a sustainability appraisal.
18.80 We have not carried out a sustainability appraisal as our preferred option is to rely on national and regional guidance.
[DC15] TRAVELLING SHOWPEOPLE SITES
Our preferred option is to rely on national and regional guidance in respect of
proposals for Travelling Showpeople sites.
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Employment areas
Uses in employment areas
18.81 Our Core Strategy preferred option is to increase the number of jobs in existing employment areas by supporting proposals for job generating uses and resisting the loss of employment land. Responses to the Core Strategy Key Issues and Alternative Options consultation document favour a wider mix of uses in employment areas including non employment uses such as petrol stations, crèches, gyms and freestanding shops.
18.82 Our sustainability appraisal finds that small scale activities in employment areas would create mixed use areas that provide local services for workers. This would reduce travelling distances and greenhouse gas emissions. It would also make employment areas more attractive places to work and locate businesses. They would not necessarily have a high employment density and could be in competition with services elsewhere in the town. Mitigation measures may be needed to ensure that small scale activities do not become the dominant activity. Employment areas will continue to be primarily for “B” employment uses.
[DC16] USES IN EMPLOYMENT AREAS
Our preferred option is to prepare a generic development control policy that
supports proposals for small scale activities in employment areas where they
complement employment uses.
Employment uses outside employment areas
18.83 As well as our two main employment areas there are also offices, workshops and factories in the town centre, the Old Town, neighbourhood centres and other parts of the town.
18.84 Our sustainability appraisal finds that small scale employment uses outside employment areas would create mixed use areas that provide local job opportunities for residents. This would reduce travelling distances and greenhouse gas emissions. They could discourage businesses from locating in employment areas. Mitigation measures may be needed to
166 Stevenage LDF Core Strategy and Generic DC Policies ensure that small scale employment uses do not become the dominant activity. The main location for employment activities will continue to be employment areas.
[DC17] EMPLOYMENT USES OUTSIDE EMPLOYMENT AREAS
Our preferred option is to prepare a generic development control policy that
supports proposals for small scale employment uses outside employment areas
where they achieve other policy objectives.
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Town centre and shopping
Retail parks, supermarkets and freestanding shops
18.85 Our Core Strategy preferred option for shopping and retail identifies that retail parks, supermarkets and freestanding shops complement our network and hierarchy of centres.
18.86 Government guidance44 states that proposals for shopping facilities should follow a sequence approach by focusing on existing town centres then edge of centre locations and finally out of centre locations that are well served by transport. Developers should also demonstrate that their proposal is needed in floorspace terms and to aid consumer choice. The council should assess the likely impact of proposals on existing shopping facilities.
18.87 We have not carried out a sustainability appraisal as our preferred option is to rely on national and regional guidance.
[DC18] RETAIL PARKS, SUPERMARKETS and FREESTANDING SHOPS
Our preferred option is to rely on national and regional guidance to determine
proposals for retail parks, supermarkets and freestanding shops.
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Natural environment
Natural environment objectives
18.88 Our Core Strategy preferred option is to protect and enhance the natural environment.
18.89 Our sustainability appraisal concludes that a balanced approach strikes the right balance between preservation and development. Mitigation measures and planning obligations may be needed at the site specific level to achieve an appropriate balance. Natural environment statements would allow developers to demonstrate how they intend to protect and enhance natural characteristics and achieve environmental objectives. They would provide the council with a clear understanding of the implications of the proposal.
[DC19] NATURAL ENVIRONMENT STATEMENT
Our preferred option is to prepare a generic development control policy that
requires developers to explain how their proposal will achieve natural
environment objectives set out in Policy CS10. Council officers will contact
developers if they feel they need more information to determine a proposal.
Open space standards
18.90 Our Core Strategy preferred option is to provide open spaces across the borough based on the quantity and accessibility standards recommended in our open space study. Our sustainability appraisal suggests that this is appropriate.
18.91 Our open space study assesses existing provision and future needs to propose quantity and accessibility standards. It finds that Stevenage offers a good mix and distribution of open spaces. There are opportunities to convert spaces from one use to another where local deficiencies exist.
18.92 The study recommends open space standards per 1,000 residents. At present the average number of residents per home in Stevenage is 2.4 (ranging from 2.6 in houses to 1.4 in
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flats). This is expected to decline as more people choose to live on their own. Our sustainability appraisal suggests that it is appropriate to plan for open space provision based on a mid point between existing and future average household size. This will avoid a deficit if average household size increases in the future.
18.93 We have not carried out a sustainability appraisal as this policy reiterates our Core Strategy preferred option to provide open spaces based on the quantity and accessibility standards recommended in our open space study. Mitigation measures may be needed at the site specific level if a particular typology may be more or less appropriate than others, to exempt certain developments from making open space provision or to seek planning obligations.
[DC20] OPEN SPACE STANDARDS
Our preferred option is to prepare a generic development control policy which
requires developers to make provision for open space based on the standards
set out in our Core Strategy. The population of new homes will be based on a
sensible mid point between existing and future average household size. We
may set out open space standards for allocated sites in forthcoming DPDs and
AAPs. Planning obligations may be sought on smaller and windfall proposals.
Green Belt
18.94 Our Core Strategy preferred option is to undertake a strategic review of the Green Belt and to identify amendments to the Green Belt elsewhere in Stevenage through relevant DPDs and AAPs.
18.95 For those areas that remain in the Green Belt we do not consider it is appropriate to apply any more protection that is already contained in Government guidance. This will mean that all development proposals for land that remains in the Green Belt will need to demonstrate exceptional circumstances. We have therefore not carried out a sustainability appraisal as our preferred option is to rely on national guidance.
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[DC21] GREEN BELT
Our preferred option is to rely on Government guidance to determine proposals
for the use and development of land that remains in the Green Belt.
Green Links
18.96 Our Core Strategy preferred option is to protect, enhance and extend the network of Green Links. The primary purpose of Green Links is to provide visual and wildlife corridors. Their most important asset is that they remain unbroken. It is therefore appropriate to prepare a policy which determines what will and will not be acceptable development within and close to a Green Link.
18.97 Our sustainability appraisal supports Green Links for their wildlife, walking and cycling and recreational benefits. We have not carried out a sustainability appraisal of this policy as it seeks to achieve the objectives of our Core Strategy policy.
[DC22] GREEN LINKS
Our preferred option is to prepare a generic development control policy that
determines what will and will not be acceptable development within and close
to Green Links. We will support proposals that restore or join Green Links.
Green Links will be identified on the proposals map.
Biodiversity and geology
18.98 Biodiversity refers to the variety of life in all its forms. It includes trees, plants, animals and insects. The presence of biodiversity is a sign of a healthy and functioning ecosystem. The original masterplan for Stevenage sought to retain significant areas of woodland, trees and
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other important environments. Such features provide habitats for wildlife, create a green and pleasant environment, offer recreation opportunities and absorb greenhouse gases.
18.99 At present about 105 hectares of land in Stevenage is designated for its biodiversity and geological value. This includes two countryside heritage sites identified by Hertfordshire County Council as areas of wildlife, archaeological and scenic value, one regionally important geological site and 37 wildlife sites identified by Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust and Hertfordshire Biological Records Centre as part of their habitats survey.
18.100 There are no international or national designations although English Nature highlight that there is a site of special scientific interest (an SSSI) at Knebworth Woods to the west of the A1(M). This will be considered in the Stevenage and North Hertfordshire Action Plan.
18.101 Our biodiversity action plan describes Stevenage as urban in character with large expanses of manicured public open space and some older habitats and landscapes that provide most wildlife interest. It identifies five key habitats that support plant and animal life.
Habitat De scription 132 hectares of mostly broad leaved species of which 60% is ancient. Much has been damaged by non-native planting. Key species include oak Woodland and hornbeam, bluebells, badgers, foxes, bats, dormice, woodpeckers, owls, invertebrates and fungi.
447 hectares mostly comprising amenity grassland with just 19 hectares of Grassland high ecological value. No key species are identified.
80 hectares of lakes and ponds and 5 km of streams. Ridlins Mire supports Wetlands uncommon plant species such as dropwart and sedge. Key species include newts, frogs and toads, dragonflies, kingfishers and herons.
Often contain ancient woodland plant species and veteran trees. Key Hedgerows species include many nesting birds such as robins, thrushes and wrens plus voles and shrews, butterflies, grasshoppers, crickets and beetles.
Gardens, roofs and attics provide habitats as does waste land, railway Urban embankments and disused allotments. Key species include thrushes, sparrows and starlings, bats, badgers, foxes and butterflies. Source: Stevenage biodiversity action plan
18.102 The plan recommends preparing habitat action plans to converse key habitats and species action plans to protect rare and distinctive species. The greatest biodiversity gains appear to come from manicured grassland areas and urban environments. Mowing regimes for
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example could increase the presence of wildlife by leaving long grass around woodlands and water features.
18.103 As well as seeking to protect and enhance existing sites Government guidance also supports the restoration or creation of new habitats. Our biodiversity action plan does not make any recommendations in this regard nor have we received any consultation responses identifying potential sites.
18.104 It is also estimated that there are about 40,000 trees in Stevenage. Most are found in woodlands protected by local designations. Others are found in small groups or individually and protected by tree preservation orders where appropriate.
18.105 The main problem relates to the provision of at least 6,400 new homes in Stevenage that will place development pressure on brownfield and greenfield environments that support habitats and species. Climate change may affect wildlife and habitats that are vulnerable to changes in temperature and rainfall.
18.106 The main driver of change is national and regional guidance which seeks to conserve, enhance and restore biodiversity. Development should have minimal impact on biodiversity and enhance it where possible. This is complemented by European and national legislation which protects rare and vulnerable species and habitats. The European Habitats Directive for example recognises Monks Wood and Whomerley Wood as internationally important examples of woodland with bluebell ground cover. A number of species found in Stevenage such as bats and badgers are also protected by such legislation.
18.107 In response to Question CS18) “How should we conserve and enhance biodiversity and natural habitats?” of the Core Strategy Key Issues and Alternative Options consultation document both Hertfordshire Biological Records Centre and the Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust emphasise that efforts should be made to preserve biodiversity and habitats.
18.108 Hertfordshire Biological Records Centre advocate Government guidance and professional surveys to assess the potential impacts of development. Access should be restricted to sensitive wildlife areas. As a last resort planning obligations should be sought. The Wildlife Trust suggest that a key diagram showing important biodiversity resources would be useful. They advocate the sequential approach set out in Design for Biodiversity to retain, enhance
173 Stevenage LDF Core Strategy and Generic DC Policies
and create features, to mitigate impacts and to compensate for losses. They also think climate change should be given greater recognition.
18.109 English Nature support a combination of all three options, while other respondents deem national guidance sufficient or consider the preparation of a supplementary planning document would assist. Numerous references are made to the Stevenage Biodiversity Action Plan and the need for monitoring indicators.
18.110 Of the 17 respondents who clearly select an option, 3 support doing nothing, 7 support establishing responsive policies and 7 support proactively identifying areas or sites.
18.111 Our sustainability appraisal finds that all 3 options would protect and enhance biodiversity. Relying on national and regional guidance is the best option for sites with an existing designation, a reactive policy is the best option for all other proposals and a proactive policy is the best option for new neighbourhoods.
[DC23] AREAS of BIODIVERSITY and GEOLOGICAL IMPORTANCE
Our preferred option is to rely on European legislation and national guidance in
respect of proposals that are likely to affect areas of biodiversity and
geological importance with an international, European, national, regional or
local designation. We will prepare a generic development control policy which
requires developers to protect other areas of biodiversity and geological
importance and incorporate biodiversity into their proposal. We will consider
the creation of new habitats in forthcoming DPDs and AAPs including the
Stevenage and North Hertfordshire Action Plan based on the recommendations
of our biodiversity action plan. Designated areas of biodiversity and
geological importance will be identified on our proposals map.
18.112 Areas of biodiversity and geological importance can be monitored using the new national planning application form which requires developers to state whether their development will affect protected species, designated sites and features of geological importance. It also
174 Stevenage LDF Core Strategy and Generic DC Policies requires developers to state whether there are any trees on the development site. Policies can be implemented through the preparation of habitat action plans and species action plans for key habitats and species identified in our biodiversity action plan.
175 Stevenage LDF Core Strategy and Generic DC Policies
Built environment
Built environment objectives
18.113 Our Core Strategy preferred option is to create attractive, enjoyable and distinctive places.
18.114 Our sustainability appraisal concludes that a balanced approach strikes the right balance between preservation and development. Mitigation measures and planning obligations may be needed at the site specific level to achieve an appropriate balance. Built environment statements would allow developers to demonstrate how they intend to address visual, landscape, open space, safety and access issues. They would also provide the council with a clear understanding of the implications of the proposal.
[DC24] BUILT ENVIRONMENT STATEMENT
Our preferred option is to prepare a generic development control policy that
requires developers to explain how their proposal will achieve built environment
objectives set out in Policy CS15. Council officers will contact developers if
they feel they need more information to determine a proposal.
Listed buildings and locally listed buildings
18.115 Stevenage has over 150 buildings which are listed by the Government because of their special architecture or historic interest. Listed buildings are subject to strict planning controls which protect them from demolition or changes to their appearance or use.
18.116 All buildings built before 1700 and most buildings built before 1840 are listed. Buildings of less than 30 years old are rarely listed unless they are of outstanding quality. Listed buildings are graded by importance. Stevenage contains two Grade I listed buildings of exceptional interest, 114 Grade II listed buildings of more than special interest and ten Grade II* listed buildings of special interest which warrant every effort to preserve them. Most are located in the Old Town and other original areas of the town.
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18.117 Our conservation area study also identifies 92 buildings in conservation areas that could be regarded as locally important but do not have listed building status.
18.118 Up until 1970 the Government had a Grade III listing for buildings which were considered to be of some importance. In recent years a number of buildings have been lost that it would have been preferable to preserve and which may have qualified for Grade III status. They were lost because there was no local planning policy to protect them.
18.119 In response to Question CS19) “Should we create a list of locally important buildings?” of the Core Strategy Key Issues and Alternative Options consultation document, a number of respondents support such a list. Hertfordshire County Council and the Stevenage Society for Local History report that they have both prepared lists that the council may wish to consider. English Heritage and others note that listed buildings can encourage greater understanding and interest in buildings.
18.120 Suggestions for the types of buildings that deserve local listing include historic, unique, special purpose, architecturally or culturally interesting and public art. Respondents identify opportunities in the Old Town, Fairview Road, North Road, Rectory Lane and Orchard Road. Other respondents consider that the town centre clock tower, the Co-op mural and St George’s church are worthy. The opportunity for a supplementary planning document is also mentioned. The property function of Hertfordshire County Council consider that the statutory system of listing is sufficient. They think that local listing would add complexity. A member of the public describes local listing as elitist.
18.121 Of the 20 respondents who select an option, 13 support a list of locally listed buildings and 7 do not.
18.122 We have not carried out a sustainability appraisal in respect of listed buildings as our preferred option is to rely on national guidance. Our sustainability appraisal finds that a list of locally listed buildings would help preserve and enhance attractive and admired buildings. They would not have any statutory protection however and would not require listed building consent if demolition or changes to their appearance or use were proposed. This would limit the council’s ability to control development and would offer false hope to those who oppose development proposals. This would be more frustrating than not having a list in the first place.
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[DC25] LISTED BUILDINGS and LOCALLY LISTED BUILDINGS
Our preferred option is to preserve and enhance listed buildings in line with
Government guidance. We will not produce a list of locally listed buildings.
Conservation areas
18.123 Conservation areas are places that have a special character. Stevenage has a combination of well established areas designated for their historic value and newer areas designated for their New Town value. Their purpose is to protect the features that give the area its special character by controlling and managing development.
18.124 Our conservation area review recommends that as well as making amendments to existing conservation area boundaries at Shephall, Symonds Green and Rectory Lane we should also designate new conservation areas at Orchard Road and Marymead. These changes have been consulted upon outside of the local development framework process.
18.125 We have not carried out a sustainability appraisal as our preferred option is to rely on national guidance.
[DC26] CONSERVATION AREAS
Our preferred option is to preserve and enhance conservation areas in line
with national guidance. Conservation areas will be identified on our proposals
map.
Ancient lanes and associated hedgerows
18.126 Ancient lanes and hedgerows are routes that linked the original village of Stevenage with surrounding hamlets. The original masterplan for Stevenage sought to preserve these routes and subsequent plans have recognised them as valuable features which contribute 178 Stevenage LDF Core Strategy and Generic DC Policies
to the town’s landscape history. Our biodiversity action plan also acknowledges their value to wildlife.
18.127 Our sustainability appraisal finds that ancient lanes and associated hedgerows are important features worth preserving. Hedgerows provide habitats and corridors for wildlife. It is therefore important to protect them and prevent them from being broken.
[DC27] ANCIENT LANES and ASSOCIATED HEDGEROWS
Our preferred option is to prepare a generic development control policy which
set outs criteria to determine proposals that are likely to affect ancient lanes
and associated hedgerows. Ancient lanes and associated hedgerows will be
identified on the proposals map.
18.128 Hedgerows can be monitoring using the new national planning application form which requires developers to state whether there are any hedgerows on the development site.
Design out crime
18.129 Designing out crime means designing buildings and spaces so that crime is minimised and so that people feel they and their property are safe at all times of the day and night. Many neighbourhoods in Stevenage for example are built in the Radburn style which confines cars to rear garage courts where they are prone to crime. Poor lighting and underused footpaths allow criminals to move around unseen and evade capture by the police.
18.130 Government guidance45 seeks to design out crime by considering how people access and move around a space or building, whether spaces are overlooked and how well spaces and building are maintained. For example an innovative way of reducing crime is by adopting a “broken window“ policy. This assumes that signs of neglect such as graffiti, litter or broken windows suggest that no one cares about the area. This opens to door to more serious crime. Designing out crime also makes financial sense as it avoids having to correct or manage badly designed developments.
45 Safer Places: the planning system and crime prevention 179 Stevenage LDF Core Strategy and Generic DC Policies
18.131 Our sustainable community strategy describes Stevenage as one of the safety towns in the country. It seeks to reduce the levels of crime and anti-social behaviour and to reduce the fear of crime and disorder. It emphasises the value of police community support officers and partnerships involving the council, the police and Stevenage Homes Limited. For many people the most obvious form of crime is anti social behaviour related to evening activities such as pubs and nightclubs. Data from Hertfordshire Constabulary reveals that criminal activities more common in the town centre and on the leisure park than many other areas. Neighbourhood centres are also a focus for some criminal activities.
18.132 In many cases however it is the fear of crime rather than its actual occurrence that is the problem. This is one of the reasons why the cycle and pedestrian network is underused.
18.133 Planning can also reduce crime by making people less likely to commit a crime in the first place. This may be because the punishment is severe or because people are less criminally minded. One of the many indicators of deprivation is higher crime rates. We hope that raising prosperity will reduce the occurrence and frequency of certain crimes.
18.134 Our sustainability appraisal finds that efforts to design out crime will have immediate benefits in terms of reducing crime and fear of crime and wider benefits in terms of the local economy. Potential businesses may be put off locating in Stevenage due to the perception of crime. Existing business may suffer as a consequence of crime or anti-social behaviour. This may be particularly true in “hot spots” such as the town centre, leisure park and some neighbourhood centres.
[DC28] DESIGN OUT CRIME STATEMENT
Our preferred option is to prepare a generic development control policy that
requires developers to submit a statement setting out how their proposal will
design out crime. Further guidance will be set out in our forthcoming Design
Guide SPD that will be adopted at the same time as the Core Strategy and
Generic Development Control Policies DPDs.
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18.135 Crime rates can be monitored using data from Hertfordshire Constabulary. This is collected as part of the sustainable community strategy. Designing out crime can be implemented by applying best practice and seeking comments from Hertfordshire Constabulary’s architectural liaison officer.
Areas of Archaeological Significance
18.136 Areas of archaeological significance include buildings, structures, buried sites and landscape features. There are 3 scheduled ancient monuments in Stevenage – a building at the northern end of High Street in the Old Town, the tumuli in Six Hills Way and the moat in Whomerley Wood – which are nationally protected because of their archaeological, architectural, historic or traditional importance.
18.137 There are also many archaeological features that are not nationally protected. All such areas are irreplaceable assets that help us to understand the town’s history. A list is maintained by the Hertfordshire Sites and Monuments Record.
18.138 We have not carried out a sustainability appraisal as our preferred option is to rely on national guidance.
[DC29] AREAS of ARCHAEOLOGICAL SIGNIFICANCE
Our preferred option is to rely on national guidance in respect of proposals
that may affect any area of archaeological significance. We will consult
Hertfordshire County Council in respect of proposals which are likely to affect
such an area. Areas of archaeological significance will be identified on the
proposals map.
18.139 A list of all areas of archaeological significance will be maintained by Hertfordshire Sites and Monuments Record. We will work with English Heritage and others to protect and enhance such areas.
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Social facilities
Community and leisure facilities
18.140 Community facilities are venues such as community centres, youth clubs, scout and guide halls, places of worship and pubs. They are a vital resources for many residents to meet and share their interests. Leisure facilities are indoor and outdoor facilities such as sports halls, leisure centres, swimming pools, health and fitness centres and synthetic pitches.
18.141 Our Core Strategy preferred option is to provide community and leisure facilities that reflect the distribution of existing and new residents. They should provide opportunities for a balanced mix of residents. Our sustainability appraisal supports community and leisure facilities for their social and economic benefits. The provision of such facilities close to homes would reduce the need to travel and the length of journeys. We have not carried out a sustainability appraisal of this policy as it seeks to achieve the objectives of our Core Strategy preferred option.
[DC30] COMMUNITY and LEISURE FACILITIES
Our preferred option is to prepare a generic development control policy which
supports proposals to modernise or redevelop existing community and leisure
facilities and for new community and leisure facilities. We will expect
developers to replace community and leisure facilities or demonstrate that
proposals achieve other policy objectives where they would result in the loss
of existing facilities. We will encourage the dual use of facilities and expect
developers to demonstrate that this is not appropriate.
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Transport and utilities
Green travel plans
18.142 Green travel plans are measures used by companies to encourage their staff to use less polluting forms of transport. These can include car sharing, cycle storage and showers, a dedicated bus service, fewer parking spaces or home working. In Gunnels Wood for example there are opportunities to rebalance the 80% of employees who arrive as a car driver and the 6% who arrive as a passenger. We are unaware of any alternative options that could be applied in Stevenage and have therefore not carried out a sustainability appraisal.
Encourage staff to use less polluting forms of transport
18.143 We have not carried out a sustainability appraisal as our preferred option is to rely on national guidance.
[DC31] GREEN TRAVEL PLANS
Our preferred option is to rely on national guidance in respect of green travel
plans. We will encourage companies to prepare green travel plans and will set
an example by preparing our own green travel plan.
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Home zones
18.144 Home zones are individual streets or groups of streets where physical alterations make motorists drive at slower speeds and with greater care. They help make roads safer for everyone and can make an area more attractive by introducing trees, flowers and benches. They can also help to create a sense of community and may increase the value of homes. The downsides are that chicanes and speed humps can cause congestion and may delay emergency services. It can also be difficult for people to park directly outside their homes.
Home zones can make roads safer for everyone
18.145 Government guidance46 states that new housing areas should be designed to encourage low traffic speeds and that councils should consider establishing home zones.
18.146 In response to Question CS22) “Should we encourage more home zones?” of the Core Strategy Key Issues and Alternative Options consultation document, Hertfordshire County Council support the principle subject to highway design standards and consideration of existing and future bus routes. Charles Planning, representing Croudace, do not consider home zones to be the best option. Other respondents support the use of chicanes and ramps and the inclusion of green spaces and play areas but object to speed humps. They should be encouraged in the Old Town and other areas where parking is an issue.
18.147 Of the 19 respondents who clearly select options, 12 support home zones in existing streets and 7 do not and 13 support home zones in urban extensions and 5 do not.
18.148 Our sustainability appraisal finds that home zones would create a safer built environment and reduce accident and death rates. They would help encourage less polluting forms of
46 PPG13 Transport 184 Stevenage LDF Core Strategy and Generic DC Policies
transport. In some areas such as the Old Town they could enhance the townscape by reducing the number of cars parked on the side of the road. Because our transport and utilities capacity studies have not identified any locations for home zones we intend to rely on Government guidance.
[DC32] HOME ZONES and SHARED SPACES
Our preferred option is to rely on national guidance in respect of proposals
for home zones and shared spaces. We will expect new housing areas and new
neighbourhoods to incorporate home zones and shared spaces.
18.149 We will work with Hertfordshire County Council as the highways authority to incorporate home zones and shared space principles into existing and new streets.
Car parks
18.150 There is an abundance of surface car parking in Stevenage particularly in Gunnels Wood, Pin Green, the leisure park, the Old Town, the town centre and around the railway station. To help bring forward brownfield sites and build new homes within the town there is merit in using surface car parks more efficiently by building decked or multi-storey car parks.
Surface car parks can be used more efficiently
18.151 Our sustainability appraisal is unable to determine whether the redevelopment of surface car parks into decked or multi-storey car parks would alter travel patterns. In theory the same number of spaces would not attract extra or discourage existing drivers. Redevelopment of surface car parks would make better use of space.
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[DC33] CAR PARKS
Our preferred option is to prepare a generic development control policy which
supports proposals that make better use of car parks where they achieve
other policy objectives.
Flood risk assessment
18.152 Flooding can occur when it rains in Stevenage and drains cannot carry water away quickly enough or when it rains elsewhere and water is carried to Stevenage by rivers or drains.
18.153 Government guidance47 expects councils to prevent development in areas of flood risk and reduce the overall risk of flooding. Allocations and proposals should follow a sequence process that avoid adding to problems that its likely source, to create pathways that reduce the risk of flooding and to reduce an negative impacts on buildings and land uses that will suffer from flooding. Strategic flood risk assessments should be carried out to understand flooding issues in the area. The Environment Agency should be consulted on all proposals in a flood risk area and for sites over 1 hectare. Developers are required to carry out their own flood risk assessments in areas where there is a risk of flooding.
18.154 We have not carried out a sustainability appraisal as our preferred option is to rely on national guidance.
[DC34] FLOOD RISK
Our preferred option is to rely on national guidance and advice from the
Environment Agency for proposals that fall within an area of flood risk
identified in our strategic flood risk assessment.
47 PPS25 Development and Flood Risk 186 Stevenage LDF Core Strategy and Generic DC Policies
Telecommunications
18.155 Communications refers to the supply of telecommunications equipment such as telephone and internet to homes and businesses. An efficient telecommunications network can reduce the need to travel by allowing more people to work at home. It can also benefit the local economy and social fabric of the town.
Communications can benefit the local economy
18.156 Planning documents should provide utility companies with sufficient information for their own forward planning. Our transport and utilities capacity study states that communication companies invest in infrastructure on the basis of potential customer take-up. It concludes that telecommunications will not constrain development.
18.157 In response to our Core Strategy Key Issues and Alternative Options consultation document, Mono Consultants Ltd representing the Mobile Operators Association state that the council should retain a flexible telecommunications policy. They point out that mobile phone ownership has increased in recent years and will continue to grow as third generation (3G) services become popular.
18.158 We have not carried out a sustainability appraisal as our preferred option is to rely on national guidance.
[DC35] TELECOMMUNICATIONS
Our preferred option is to rely on national guidance in respect of proposals
for telecommunications equipment.
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Main problems in the future
19.1 As well as considering current problems it is also worth identifying problems that could arise in the future. With hindsight for example it is easy to be amused by the failure of Stevenage’s masterplanners to predict the rise in car ownership. In exactly the same way however things that seem unlikely today could be glaringly obvious in 20 years’ time.
• In sustainability terms, climate change is likely to remain on the political agenda. Clean technologies and nuclear power could replace fossil fuels. Summer droughts and winter floods could be more common.
• In technology terms, internet shopping could affect traditional shops. Cash could be replaced by swipe cards. Community internet sites could get more people involved in local decision making. National identity cards could be introduced. TV, films and radio could be sold over the internet rather than transmitted.
• In social terms, education and health care could be privatised with people buying private insurance as happens in America. Cures may be found for major diseases and illnesses. New diseases and illnesses may put pressure on health services. More services could be delivered by the “third sector” instead of the public sector.
• In transport terms, Stevenage could become more of a dormitory town to London. Petrol prices and road charging could make driving more expensive. Environmentally friendly fuels could be invented or entirely new forms of transport invented. People could walk and cycle more than they do now.
• In planning terms, a failure to deliver our spatial vision could result in Stevenage staying as it is or getting worse. This could mean a less buoyant economy, fewer skills and qualifications, unemployment, deprivation, decaying facilities and a poor image.
• In demographic terms, ageing residents could mean more pensioners and fewer workers. This will place pressure on the Government to find ways of paying pensions. There may be fewer marriages and a less clear family structure.
• In global terms, terrorism, climate change, the rise of new superpowers, conflicts, migration and economic cycles are all issues that can affect our quality of life.
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Monitoring
20.1 Monitoring refers to the mechanisms we will put in place to assess and update our policies.
20.2 Government guidance48 advocates a plan, monitor and manage approach. It requires the council to prepare an annual monitoring report (known as an AMR) to measure the effectiveness of its policies. The AMR will consider the success of our policies, the achievement of our sustainability objectives and make recommendations for the future. In some cases – such as a housing trajectory to ensure we always have a 5 year supply of available and deliverable sites – its findings may inform planning application decisions.
20.3 The most significant monitoring indicators include:
Strategic objective Monitoring indicators Greenhouse gas emissions Renewable energy generation Sustainable community Ecological footprint Commuting and self-containment rates New jobs
Index of multiple deprivation Prosperity through Wages and business registrations regeneration and growth Skills and occupation profile
Number of new homes by type (i.e. affordable, market) Housing and size (i.e. detached, flat) Density and brownfield “versus” greenfield
Floorspace by type Employment areas Number of jobs by skills and occupation
Convenience and comparison floorspace Town centre and shopping Spending Number of jobs by skills and occupation
Amount of and distance to open space Natural environment Wildlife counts
Built environment Crime rates
Education qualifications Social facilities Health standards and life expectancy
Journeys by walking, cycling, bus, train and car Transport and utilities Car ownership rates
Implementation Planning obligations spent or received
48 PPS12 Local Development Frameworks 189 Stevenage LDF Core Strategy and Generic DC Policies
20.4 A lot of monitoring can be carried out using the new national planning application form which comes into use in autumn 2007. Other useful sources of information include the Census, Annual Business Inquiry, Land Registry and NOMIS labour and employment information.
20.5 Some monitoring cannot be obtained so easily. In these cases we will carry out regular evidence studies – such as housing market assessments and biodiversity action plans – to ensure we are aware of the current situation and can do something about it.
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Appendix 1: Glossary
The following is a glossary of words used within the Stevenage LDF. You may find these useful to help understand some of the terms and names used in this and other planning documents. The symbol L means that a definition is available in the glossary.
Acronym: An acronym is a shortened form of a longer word or title. For example East of England Regional Assembly becomes EERA and Local Development Framework becomes LDF.
Affordable housing: This is housing provided to people whose needs are not met by the market. The council’s precise definition is “housing provided with subsidy, both for rent and low cost market housing, for people who are unable to resolve their housing requirements in the local private sector housing market because of the relationship between housing costs and incomes.”
Annual Monitoring Report (AMR): This measures how the council is progressing with the timetable set out in the LDS. It also assesses the effectiveness of the various policies contained in the other Local Development Documents and monitors key indicators, such as house building, employment land take-up, etc. This is a statutory document.
Area Action Plan (AAP): These provide the planning framework for areas where significant change or conservation is needed or anticipated. These plans will have Ordnance Survey based maps, which will act as insets to the main proposals map. These are voluntary Development Plan Documents that, if written, are statutory documents.
Biodiversity: The variety of life in all its forms.
Brownfield (previously developed) land: Land previously developed for another purpose and occupied by a permanent structure and associated fixed surface infrastructure. Term is commonly used in connection with urban capacity studies (L) where Government states that brownfield development shall take precedence over greenfield development (L). A full definition of what constitutes brownfield land can be found in Annex C to PPG3.
Comparison retail floorspace: Comparison retailing is the form of shopping provision that is made up of items not usually purchased on a frequent basis. It includes items such as clothing, footwear, household and recreational goods. For a fuller description of comparison retailing see Table 3 of Annex A to PPS6.
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Communities England: The future name for the Government’s national regeneration agency which is currently called English Partnerships (L).
Conformity: Government requires that the Core Strategy (L) of each LDF (L) be in conformity with the RSS and that every other DPD (L) in the LDF should be in conformity with the Core Strategy. In the case of the Core Strategy’s conformity with the RSS, the test is of “general conformity” which means where an inconsistency or omission from the DPD would cause significant harm to the implementation of the RSS. The issue of conformity is tested at the submission stage (L) of the DPD.
Conservation Area: Any area that meets the standards for designation can be designated by a local authority as a Conservation Area. Conservation Areas are areas of special architectural or historical interest, the character of which it is desirable to preserve and enhance. There are currently five such areas in the borough, including the Old Town High Street.
Convenience retail floorspace: Convenience retailing is the provision of everyday essential items, essentially foodstuffs, drinks, newspapers/magazines and confectionery. For a fuller description of comparison retailing see Table 3 of Annex A to PPS6.
Core Strategy: The DPD (L) that sets out the key elements of the planning framework for the area of the Local Planning Authority (L). It comprises a spatial (L) vision and strategic objectives for the area; a spatial strategy; core policies; and a monitoring and implementation framework with clear objectives for achieving delivery. Once adopted all of the other DPDs must be in conformity (L) with it.
Daneshill House: Headquarters of the Council. Located on Danestrete in the heart of Stevenage town centre, directly opposite the bus station and a few minutes walk from the train station.
Development Plan Documents (DPD): These are the documents that must be taken into account in determining planning applications. Planning permission must be granted in accordance with these documents unless material considerations indicate otherwise. Development Plan Documents must be subjected to independent examination (L) before being adopted.
District Plan (SDP2R): See ‘Local Plan’.
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East of England Development Agency (EEDA): Established in April 1999, EEDA is the Government sponsored regional economic development agency for the East of England region. Charged with the responsibility of ensuring economic prosperity across the region, its wide-ranging remit includes economic development and social & physical regeneration, business support, investment and competitiveness, skills and employment, sustainable development and high-quality environment and creating a public profile for the region. EEDA promotes the benefits of investing in the East of England and acts as a powerful lobbying and influencing voice. It also brings together the work of partners and businesses at a regional level, enabling the spread of best practice.
East of England Plan (EoEP): See Regional Spatial Strategy.
East of England Regional Assembly (EERA): Established in 2001, EERA is the Government sponsored voluntary regional chamber charged as the Regional Planning Body responsible for producing the Regional Spatial Strategy (L). EERA comprises representatives of all 54 county, unitary and district/borough councils in the region (the counties of Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Essex, Norfolk and Suffolk) together with a wide range of other public and private sector stakeholders. For further information about EERA’s composition and constitution visit: www.eera.gov.uk.
English Partnerships (EP): The Government’s national regeneration agency. Responsible for securing major regeneration schemes across England, either on their own or in public and/or private sector partnerships. Stevenage West and Stevenage town centre feature among the agency’s top national priorities.
Examination: All DPDs (and the SCI) must be submitted to Government for independent examination, whether or not any representations are received, as the purpose of the examination is to consider whether a DPD is sound (L). An inspector will be appointed by Government to conduct the examination, who will consider all of the written representations made (which may be supplemented through oral evidence presented to the inspector). The presumption will be that a DPD is sound unless it is shown to be otherwise as a result of evidence considered at the examination. Further information on examinations of DPDs can be found in Annex D of PPS12.
FAQs: Frequently Asked Questions i.e. the most useful information for readers.
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Government (role of, in development plans): The role of the Government in local planning is to establish the national legislative and statutory framework within which Local Planning Authorities (cf) work, to set out national policy and guidance, to require local authorities to produce various documents (such as the LDS, DPDs, the AMR, etc), to monitor performance against nationally-set targets (Best Value indicators), to provide guidance, comment and encouragement, to set the regional planning framework (through the RSS), to intervene (if necessary) and to stop plans that are unsatisfactory. Government is, arguably, the principal customer of the development planning system.
Green Belt: Although widely held by the press and public to be any open countryside area outside towns, Green Belts are – in fact - not widespread across the UK, although almost all major UK cities and conurbations now have Green Belts surrounding them. A Green Belt is a planning designation designed to prevent urban sprawl and coalescence between towns, cities and villages. The most important attribute of any Green Belt is its openness. There are five purposes set out by Government for designating Green Belts and, once designated, the land contained within them has a positive role to play in meeting six objectives. For more details on Green Belts see PPG2. Stevenage is, for the most part, fairly tightly constrained by the Metropolitan Green Belt, which is designed to prevent the sprawl of Greater London.
Green field development: Any development on a piece of land upon which there has not been any previous development (i.e. the antithesis of brownfield land (L)). In contexts, such as around Stevenage, where the countryside (which is inherently greenfield) is also designated as Green Belt, the two terms can become effectively coterminous.
Highways Authority: The county council are the Highway Authority for Hertfordshire. They are charged with the statutory responsibility of adopting, maintaining, designing, making safe and constructing all roads, footways and public rights of way other than trunk roads and motorways (which are looked after by the Government’s Highways Agency).
Housing Needs Survey: Specialist surveys designed to examine the housing requirements (needs, aspirations and demands) of the community and households of the survey area. The surveys are designed to gather up to date evidence of the level and type of housing needs based on existing households along with an indication of likely future changes. Such surveys are designed to assist the commissioning Council in negotiating the provision of affordable housing and in making more informed decisions about the targeting of housing resources and helping to frame housing policies and strategies.
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Key Issues stage of DPD: To inform the preferred options stage DPDs (cf) Authorities are required to consult with the community and stakeholders after, or whilst, they are creating their evidence base. At this early stage in the evolution of DPDs, ideas are not fully formed. Therefore, it is neither possible nor necessary to consult on every issue that may influence the shape of the final plans. It is important to concentrate on the broad principles that shape policy choices. It is the broad choices at this stage that will help to inform and shape the selection of the more detailed policies at later stages. The next stage in the evolution of a DPD is preferred options stage (L).
Listed Building: The Government designates and maintains lists of buildings of special architectural or historic interest. Once a building is listed, consent is required from the Local Planning Authority for its demolition, in whole or in part, and for any works of alteration or extension which would affect its character as a building of special architectural or historic interest. It is a criminal offence to carry out such works without consent. Controls apply to all works, both external and internal, that would affect a building's special interest, whether or not the particular feature concerned is specifically mentioned in the list description. The criteria for the listing of such buildings is set out in PPG25.
Local Development Documents (LDD): These documents can be Development Plan Documents (DPDs) and Supplementary Planning Documents (SPDs), both of which are used to guide development and by the council in the determination of planning applications. The Statement of Community Involvement (SCI) is also an LDD.
Local Development Framework (LDF): This statutory document, prepared by LPAs (L), comprises a number of different types of document - Local Development Scheme, Annual Monitoring Report, Statement of Community Involvement, Local Development Documents, Development Plan Documents and Supplementary Planning Documents.
Local Development Scheme (LDS): This document sets out which documents are part of the Local Development Framework and the timetable for their review and the preparation of new documents. It is essentially a programme management document (cf). This is a statutory document, although not a Local Development Document (LDD).
Local Plan: A document produced under the old planning system that set out all the council's policies on the development and change of use of land and buildings. The existing local plan – called the Stevenage District Plan Second Review (SDP2R) - will be automatically ‘saved’ for three
195 Stevenage LDF Core Strategy and Generic DC Policies years from its adoption in December 2004. This means that its policies and provisions continue to have statutory force during that three years period. If the council wishes to save its local plan policies beyond this period it must seek the permission of the Government.
Local Planning Authority (LPA): A local authority charged by central Government with the statutory duty to prepare development plan documents and undertake other duties under the Town and Country Planning Acts (and other, ancillary legislation). District Councils, sometimes styled as Borough Councils, have planning powers for all development in their administrative areas with the exceptions of minerals and waste. County Councils have planning powers for minerals and waste within their administrative areas. Unitary authorities (i.e. where there is no county council) have all the planning powers of both county and district councils within their own administrative areas. There are no unitary authorities in Hertfordshire.
Local Strategic Partnership (LSP): A local partnership of businesses, voluntary organisations, community groups and public organisations charged by central Government with the statutory duty to prepare a community strategy (L) for a particular locality. The LSP for Stevenage Borough is the Stevenage Partnership which comprises over 30 bodies of different types.
National Land Use Database (NLUD): A statutory register compiled by Government, with the assistance of local authorities, of all derelict, vacant and underused (brownfield) land and buildings over 1 hectare in size.
Neighbourhood Centre: A neighbourhood centre is a collection of shops, often containing at least one supermarket or food store. It may also contain a range of non-retail services, such as banks or restaurants as well as local public facilities such as a library, surgery or community hall. Almost all neighbourhood centres within the New Town are owned by the Borough Council. The Old Town is the largest of the neighbourhood centres and is not owned by the Council.
New neighbourhoods: A new neighbourhood is a sustainable option for providing additional housing after building on appropriate sites within urban areas. These neighbourhoods will be particularly appropriate where it is possible to utilise existing physical and social infrastructure and there is good access to public transport, jobs, schools, shopping and leisure facilities. Some planned new neighbourhoods can be so large that they make their own provision for the facilities listed above. Stevenage West is a new neighbourhood. Also known as urban extensions.
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Planning Policy Guidance (PPGs): Old-style statements of Government planning policy and best practice produced prior to the 2004 Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act. PPGs are now being superseded by PPSs.
Planning Policy Statements (PPSs): Statements of Government planning policy produced since the 2004 Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act. PPSs are slowly superseding PPGs.
Preferred options plan: The preferred options stage is the third stage in the evolution of a DPD (following evidence gathering and key issues and alternative options stage consultation) and the second stage at which public consultation is statutorily carried out. Preferred options need to be presented clearly and in sufficient detail that meaningful consultation can be carried out. Detailed policy wording need not be defined at this stage. At this stage, for the first time, sustainability appraisal (L) and Strategic Environmental Assessment (L) are carried out. The next stage in the evolution of a DPD is the preparation of the submission stage plan (L).
Previously developed land: See ‘brownfield land’.
Project/programme management: Project management is the discipline of defining and achieving targets while optimising the use of resources (time, money, people, materials, energy, space, etc…) over the course of a project. In contrast to on-going (or process-orientated) work, a project is a ‘temporary endeavour undertaken to create a unique product or service’. The duration of the project – the time taken from its start to its completion – can take days, weeks, months or – in the case of each of the DPDs – years. Programme management provides a layer above project management. It is the process of managing a portfolio of multiple on-going inter-dependent projects. Programme management also reflects the emphasis on co-ordinating and prioritising resources across individual projects, departments and Authorities to ensure that competition for scarce and valuable resources is managed from an over-arching focus. The LDS (L) is a programme management tool.
Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS): This is the successor to both the non-statutory Regional Planning Guidance and to the statutory Structure Plan (L). It will set the strategic context for development across the region, including setting the level of new housing to be accommodated. The RSS for the east of England region is the East of England Plan, which was prepared by the East of England Regional Assembly (L). The Plan went through examination (cf) during late 2005/early 2006.
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Soundness (tests of): There are nine prescribed sets of soundness established by Government which every DPD (L) must satisfy when it passes through examination (L). The nine tests of soundness fall into three categories – procedural, conformity and coherence/consistency/ effectiveness. The tests are set out in full in PPS12.
Spatial planning: The new remit for the town planning system since the 2004 Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act. Broader than land-use planning. LDFs should not just be concerned with the physical aspects of location and land use but also economic, social and environmental matters. The LDF (L) should include policies which can impact on land-use but which are not capable of being delivered solely or mainly through the grant of planning permission and which may, therefore, be implemented by other means.
Statement of Community Involvement (SCI): This sets out the Council's policy on involving the community in policy-making and major planning applications. It is a Local Development Document (L).
Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA): Required under the terms of the European directive 2001/42/EC for "environmental assessment of certain plans and programmes, including those in the field of planning and land use". Undertaken in conjunction with the Sustainability Appraisal (cf).
Structure Plan: Document produced by Hertfordshire County Council under the old planning system (pre-2004) considering strategic issues. Now effectively superseded by Regional Spatial Strategy (L).
Submission plan: The version of a DPD (L) sent to the Government for independent examination in the final form that the preparing local authority prefers, with fully detailed policy wording and reasoned justification for those policies. There will be a second SEA and SA (L).
Supplementary Planning Documents (SPD): There is no legal requirement to take these documents into account in determining planning applications, so their nature is to provide guidance to applicants wishing to develop land. The community will be involved in their preparation, but there is no independent examination of the document.
Supplementary Planning Guidance (SPG): Same as SPD (L), but as produced under the old planning system, with fewer regulations governing their preparation.
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Sustainability Appraisal (SA): An assessment of the impact the proposals contained within a Local Development Document would have on the environment, economy and society. SA is an iterative process; it should be used to improve the sustainability of subsequent versions of the document. It is to be carried out in conjunction with the Strategic Environmental Assessment (L).
Sustainable Community Strategy: Sustainable Community Strategies are the products of Local Strategic Partnerships (L). They are documents produced by a variety of partners to set out a shared vision for a locality (commonly a county or a district), designed to advance the social, economic and environmental well-being of the community. A new version of the strategy was produced in 2007 called Stevenage 2021 Our Town Our Future.
Sustainable development: An over-arching concept that encompasses any form of development that allows the best of today’s environment to be retained for the use of the future population. Sustainable development can also mean fostering types, forms and patterns of development that allow the aims of the concept to be met. One of the Government’s key aims for the town planning process is that it should encourage sustainable development.
Typologies (open space): Typologies are sub-categories. The Borough Council’s open spaces study uses a number of grouping or typologies of open space types to assist in both analysis and policy formulation. See the open space study for further details.
Urban Capacity Study: A detailed search for brownfield land or buildings (L) that can act as a source of potential housing development that all Local Planning Authorities (L) are required by Government to undertake. A detailed methodology is set down as good practice by the Government. The Borough Council had its first urban capacity study in 2000/1, undertaken by consultants Chestertons, which has been replaced by an in-house study conducted during 2005/6.
Urban Characterisation study: An appraisal of an urban area designed to provide a framework for the conservation of the historic environment. Essentially a mapping study, an urban area is divided into zones exhibiting a distinct range of generic development character types.
Use Classes Order: A national planning tool that groups certain types of development together into similar classes of development. Changes of use within use classes (and sometimes between classes) do not require planning permission. There are currently 5 categories of A use classes (retail and similar uses); three categories of B type uses (associated with industry and offices);
199 Stevenage LDF Core Strategy and Generic DC Policies three categories of C type uses (residential type uses); and two types of D uses (non-residential institutions). Further details of the Use Classes Order are available on the CLG website.
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Appendix 2: Evidence studies
The following studies were commissioned by the council to inform our local development framework:
Affordable Housing Development Viability Study (Adams Integra, 2007)
Aspirational Housing Needs Survey (David Couttie Associates, on going)
Best Value General User Survey (Mori, 2007)
Biodiversity Action Plan (Herts & Middlesex Wildlife Trust, 2006)
Conservation Area Review (Beams, 2005)
Education Study (DTZ, 2006)
Employment Capacity Study (DTZ, 2007)
Employment Land Survey Evidence Base (DTZ, 2005)
Gunnels Wood Focus on the Future (Stevenage Borough Council, 2004)
Gunnels Wood Masterplan (Buro Happold, 2005)
Housing Needs Survey (David Couttie Associates, 2003)
Housing Needs Survey Update (David Couttie Associates, 2007)
Landscape Sensitivity and Capacity Study (Halcrow, 2005)
Neighbourhood Centres Investment and Renewal Programme (Matrix, 2007)
North East Hertfordshire Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation Assessment (ORS, 2006)
North East Hertfordshire Gypsy and Traveller Site Assessment (Scott Wilson, on going)
North Hertfordshire and Stevenage Landscape Character Assessment (Babtie, 2005)
Open Space Study (PMP, 2006)
Population Forecasts (DTZ, 2006)
Skills and Employment Study (DTZ, 2005)
Sports Facilities Strategy Review (Strategic Leisure Limited, 2007)
Strategic Flood Risk Assessment (Faber Maunsell, ongoing)
Strategic Housing Market Assessment (David Couttie Associates, ongoing)
Town Centre Retail Capacity Assessment (King Sturge, 2007)
Town Centre Retail Assessment (Cushman Wakefield Healy and Baker, 2005)
Transport and Utilities Capacity Study Phase 1 (ARUP, 2005)
Transport and Utilities Capacity Study Additional Development Areas (ARUP, 2006)
Transport and Utilities Capacity Study West Stevenage Access Options (ARUP, 2006)
Transport and Utilities Capacity Study Impact of Utility Capacity Provision (ARUP, 2007)
Urban Capacity Study (Stevenage Borough Council, on going)
Water Cycle Study (on going)
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The following studies and reports were commissioned by other organisations and have been used to inform our local development framework:
Health Profile for Stevenage (Department of Health, 2006)
Historic Character of Stevenage Borough (Hertfordshire County Council, 2005)
Hertfordshire Building Futures (Hertfordshire County Council, 2007)
Hertfordshire Facilities Strategy (Sport England, 2007)
Hertfordshire Local Transport Plan 2006/07 – 2010/11
Hertfordshire Quality of Life Report (Hertfordshire Environmental Forum, 2006)
Hertfordshire Renewable Energy Study (Entec, 2005)
Hertfordshire Waste Management Strategy (Hertfordshire Waste Partnership, 2007)
Overcoming Deprivation in Hertfordshire (Hertfordshire Community Foundation)
Strategic and Sub-regional Employment Sites in the East of England (Chestertons, 2003)
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Appendix 3: Evidence study order form
Title: Name: Surname:
Name of organisation / appointed agent (if applicable):
Address:
Telephone: Email:
Cost per No. of document copies
Affordable Housing Development Viability Study (Adams Integra, 2007) £60
Conservation Area Review (Beams, 2005) £80
Education Study (DTZ, 2006) £60
Employment Capacity Study (DTZ, 2007) £60
Employment Land Survey Evidence Base (DTZ, 2005) £80
Gunnels Wood Focus on the Future (Stevenage Borough Council, 2004) £20
Gunnels Wood Masterplan (Buro Happold, 2005) £60
Housing Needs Survey (David Couttie Associates, 2003) £40
Housing Needs Survey Update (David Couttie Associates, 2007) £40
Landscape Sensitivity and Capacity Study (Halcrow, 2005) £80
North East Hertfordshire Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation £60 Assessment (ORS, 2006) North Hertfordshire and Stevenage Landscape Character Assessment £80 (Babtie, 2005)
Open Space Study (PMP, 2006) £80
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Population Forecasts (DTZ, 2006) £20
Skills and Employment Study (DTZ, 2005) £40
Town Centre Retail Capacity Assessment (King Sturge, 2007) £80
Transport and Utilities Capacity Study (ARUP, 2005) £80
Transport and Utilities Capacity Study Additional Development Areas £20 (ARUP, 2006) Transport and Utilities Capacity Study West Stevenage Access Options £20 (ARUP, 2006) Transport and Utilities Capacity Study Impact of Utility Capacity Provision £20 (ARUP, 2007) Total cost (inc p&p):
Please enclose a cheque payable to “Stevenage Borough Council”
Planning Policy team, Daneshill House, Danestrete, Stevenage, SG1 1HN [email protected] Tel: 01438 242161 Fax: 01438 242922
All evidential studies are freely available at www.stevenage.gov.uk
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Key diagram
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